Voltaic Union was a political party

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 Upper Volta

Republic of Upper Volta

The Republic of Upper Volta was established on December 11, 1958, as a self-governing colony within the French Community. Before attaining autonomy it had been French Upper Volta and part of the French Union. On August 5, 1960 it attained full independence from France.Thomas Sankara came to power...

. It was formed soon after World War II on the initiative of the French governor Albert Mouragues, and Mouragues was accused of interference in the June 1948 local elections on behalf of the party. Also known as the Union pour la Défense des Interêts de la Haute Volta (UDIHV), it was an alliance of young Catholic-trained Voltaics and traditional chiefs opposed to domination by the Ivory Coast. Early members included Joseph Conombo

Joseph Conombo

Joseph Issoufou Conombo served as Prime Minister of Upper Volta from 7 July 1978 to 25 November 1980...

, Henri Guissou

Henri Guissou

Henri Guissou was a Burkinabé politician and diplomat.Henri Guissou was senator from Côte d'Ivoire from 1947 to 1948, and member for French Upper Volta to the National Assembly of France from 1949 to 1959, Guissou also served in the French Senate from 1947-1948...

, Joseph Ouedraogo

Joseph Ouédraogo

Joseph Ouédraogo was a Burkinabè trade unionist politician, active during the last years of the French Upper Volta and subsequently in the Republic of Upper Volta....

 and Maurice Yaméogo

Maurice Yaméogo

Maurice Yaméogo was the first President of the Republic of Upper Volta, now called Burkina Faso. He proclaimed the independence of the country on August 5, 1960 and also tried to create a union between Cote d'Ivoire and Upper-Volta...

.

In the 1951 elections UV sent four members to the National Assembly: Dr. Joseph Conombo

Joseph Conombo

Joseph Issoufou Conombo served as Prime Minister of Upper Volta from 7 July 1978 to 25 November 1980...

, Henri Guissou

Henri Guissou

Henri Guissou was a Burkinabé politician and diplomat.Henri Guissou was senator from Côte d'Ivoire from 1947 to 1948, and member for French Upper Volta to the National Assembly of France from 1949 to 1959, Guissou also served in the French Senate from 1947-1948...

, Nazi Boni

Nazi Boni

Nazi Boni was a politician from Upper Volta . In 1951 Boni was elected to the French National Assembly on behalf of the Voltaic Union. In 1955 Boni founded the African Popular Movement after a split from the UV...

 and Mamadou Ouédraogo

Mamadou Ouédraogo

Mamadou Ouédraogo was a politician in the French Upper Volta.One of the early leaders of the Voltaic Union, Ouédraogo represented Ouahigouyain in the Territorial Assembly from 1946 to 1952. From 1948 to 1956 he was a member of the National Assembly of France. He did not stand for reelection in...

.

However when its main backer, governor Mouragues, left Upper Volta in 1953 the unity of UV became fragile. In 1955 Conombo and Guissou formed a new party, the Social Party for the Emancipation of the African Masses

Social Party for the Emancipation of the African Masses

Social Party for the Emancipation of the African Masses was a political party in Upper Volta, led by Joseph Conombo and Henri Guissou...

  (PSEMA). Similarly Nazi Boni founded the African Popular Movement

African Popular Movement

African Popular Movement was a political party in Upper Volta, led by Nazi Boni. MPA was founded in 1955 following a split in the Voltaic Union.In the 1957 Territorial Assembly elections MPA won five seats...

(MPA) the same year.