Unity and Progress Party
Encyclopedia
The Unity and Progress Party is a political party
in Guinea
. It was the ruling party during the long rule of President Lansana Conté
.
In the parliamentary election held on 30 June, 2002, the party won 61.57 % of the popular vote and 85 out of 114 seats. Its candidate in the 21 December 2003 presidential election
, Lansana Conté, won 95.25% of the vote; this election was, however, generally boycotted by the opposition.
Following Conté's death on December 22, 2008, the military immediately seized power in a coup d'état
, ending the rule of the PUP. The party has continued to exist since the coup, although in a severely weakened form. It nominated Aboubacar Somparé
, a prominent figure in the Conté regime and the man who would have been the constitutional successor to Conté had the military not intervened, as its candidate for the June 2010 presidential election, but he received only about 1% of the vote.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
. It was the ruling party during the long rule of President Lansana Conté
Lansana Conté
Lansana Conté was the second President of Guinea from 3 April 1984 until his death. He was a Muslim and a member of the Susu ethnic group.-Early life:...
.
In the parliamentary election held on 30 June, 2002, the party won 61.57 % of the popular vote and 85 out of 114 seats. Its candidate in the 21 December 2003 presidential election
Guinean presidential election, 2003
A presidential election was held in Guinea on 21 December 2003. Incumbent Lansana Conté won over 95.6% of the vote after most opposition parties boycotted the election....
, Lansana Conté, won 95.25% of the vote; this election was, however, generally boycotted by the opposition.
Following Conté's death on December 22, 2008, the military immediately seized power in a coup d'état
2008 Guinean coup d'état
The 2008 Guinean coup d'état was a Guinean military coup d'état that occurred in Guinea on 23 December 2008, shortly after the death of long-time President Lansana Conté...
, ending the rule of the PUP. The party has continued to exist since the coup, although in a severely weakened form. It nominated Aboubacar Somparé
Aboubacar Somparé
El Hajj Aboubacar Somparé is a Guinean politician who was President of the National Assembly of Guinea from 2002 to 2008. He was previously Guinea's Ambassador to France from 1978 to 1984 and was Secretary-General of the Unity and Progress Party from 1995 to 2002.-Political career until...
, a prominent figure in the Conté regime and the man who would have been the constitutional successor to Conté had the military not intervened, as its candidate for the June 2010 presidential election, but he received only about 1% of the vote.