Gabonese legislative election, 1964
Encyclopedia
Parliamentary elections were held in Gabon
on 12 April 1964. The election was originally to be held the week of an abortive coup d'état
, though Gabonese president Leon M'ba
of the Gabonese Democratic Bloc (BDG) dissolved the National Assembly and rescheduled them for 12 April. Despite widespread lack of free speech and M'ba's intimidation of voters, the opposition still garnered 46 percent of the vote.
, though M'ba dissolved the National Assembly and rescheduled them for 12 April. Upon insistence of the French, M'ba allowed opposition candidates to run, which it claimed was the main reason for starting the coup in the first place. However, their leaders were barred from participating because of their involvement in the coup, and known anti-Mba organizers were deported to remote parts of the country. In addition, M'ba was known to have bribed voters with banknotes. Severe electoral irregulaities were reported.
France closely followed the election, deporting a Peace Corps
teacher. Their military still maintained a presence there, which may have been an intimidation of voters. Further, they distributed leaflets and supported M'ba by other means. The Gabonese Democratic and Social Union (UDSG) practically disappeared from the political scene, as many of its leaders had been jailed because of the coup, and M'ba's opposition was composed of parties that lacked national focus and maintained only regional or pro-democracy platforms. The two major factions of this were the one who supported Aubame and one who was headed by a trade union leader
Nevertheless, the opposition garnered 44% of the vote and 16 of 47 seats in the assembly, while the BDG received 54% of the vote and 31 seats. The opposition disputed this, and held strikes across the country, though these did not have a sizable impact on business.
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
on 12 April 1964. The election was originally to be held the week of an abortive coup d'état
1964 Gabon coup d'état
The 1964 Gabon coup d'état was staged between 17 and 18 February 1964 by Gabonese military officers who rose against Gabonese President Léon M'ba. Before the coup, Gabon was seen as one of the most politically stable countries in Africa...
, though Gabonese president Leon M'ba
Léon M'ba
Gabriel Léon M'ba was the first Prime Minister and President of Gabon. A member of the Fang ethnic group, M'ba was born into a relatively privileged village family. After studying at a seminary, he held a number of small jobs before entering the colonial administration as a customs agent...
of the Gabonese Democratic Bloc (BDG) dissolved the National Assembly and rescheduled them for 12 April. Despite widespread lack of free speech and M'ba's intimidation of voters, the opposition still garnered 46 percent of the vote.
Electoral process
The election was originally to be held the week of an abortive coup d'état1964 Gabon coup d'état
The 1964 Gabon coup d'état was staged between 17 and 18 February 1964 by Gabonese military officers who rose against Gabonese President Léon M'ba. Before the coup, Gabon was seen as one of the most politically stable countries in Africa...
, though M'ba dissolved the National Assembly and rescheduled them for 12 April. Upon insistence of the French, M'ba allowed opposition candidates to run, which it claimed was the main reason for starting the coup in the first place. However, their leaders were barred from participating because of their involvement in the coup, and known anti-Mba organizers were deported to remote parts of the country. In addition, M'ba was known to have bribed voters with banknotes. Severe electoral irregulaities were reported.
France closely followed the election, deporting a Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
teacher. Their military still maintained a presence there, which may have been an intimidation of voters. Further, they distributed leaflets and supported M'ba by other means. The Gabonese Democratic and Social Union (UDSG) practically disappeared from the political scene, as many of its leaders had been jailed because of the coup, and M'ba's opposition was composed of parties that lacked national focus and maintained only regional or pro-democracy platforms. The two major factions of this were the one who supported Aubame and one who was headed by a trade union leader
Nevertheless, the opposition garnered 44% of the vote and 16 of 47 seats in the assembly, while the BDG received 54% of the vote and 31 seats. The opposition disputed this, and held strikes across the country, though these did not have a sizable impact on business.
Results
| Party | Votes | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gabonese Democratic Bloc Gabonese Democratic Party The Gabonese Democratic Party , is the ruling and dominant political party of Gabon. Its motto is Dialogue, Tolerance, Peace.It has held power since independence, first under Léon M'ba , then under Omar Bongo... |
142,389 | 55.4 | 31 |
| Gabonese Democratic and Social Union | 114,704 | 44.6 | 16 |
| Invalid/blank votes | 5,679 | ||
| Total | 262,772 | 100 | 47 |
| Source: Nohlen et al | |||