List of political parties in Niger
Encyclopedia
This article lists political parties in Niger.
Niger
has a multi-party system
, with two to three strong political parties
and smaller parties electorally successful to take seats in the National Assembly
. These smaller parties frequently enter into electoral coalitions with their more powerful opponents, forming blocs in both government and opposition.
) became the most common name of the party. Today all large parties have an official "nickname", usually in Hausa, Djerma or other national languages, while the official party name is in French.
Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
has a multi-party system
Multi-party system
A multi-party system is a system in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition, e.g.The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in the United Kingdom formed in 2010. The effective number of parties in a multi-party system is normally...
, with two to three strong political parties
Political Parties
Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy is a book by sociologist Robert Michels, published in 1911 , and first introducing the concept of iron law of oligarchy...
and smaller parties electorally successful to take seats in the National Assembly
National Assembly of Niger
The unicameral National Assembly of Niger is the country's sole legislative body. The National Assembly may propose laws and is required to approve all legislation.-History:...
. These smaller parties frequently enter into electoral coalitions with their more powerful opponents, forming blocs in both government and opposition.
Party naming
Nigerien political parties are commonly known both by their acronyms and a nickname. The latter tradition began prior to independence with the Nigerien Democratic Union-Sawaba. Sawaba ("Freedom" in HausaHausa language
Hausa is the Chadic language with the largest number of speakers, spoken as a first language by about 25 million people, and as a second language by about 18 million more, an approximate total of 43 million people...
) became the most common name of the party. Today all large parties have an official "nickname", usually in Hausa, Djerma or other national languages, while the official party name is in French.
Multi-party democracy
Niger banned all opposition parties from 1959 (prior to independence) to 1991. During the First Republic (1960-1974), the PPN-RDA was the sole party. From 1987-1991, MNSD-Nassara was the only legal party. Both parties survive in somewhat altered forms.Dominant parties of the Third and Fifth Republics
- Democratic and Social ConventionDemocratic and Social ConventionThe Democratic and Social Convention - Rahama is a political party in Niger. It was founded in January 1991. In the 1993 presidential election, the party's leader, Mahamane Ousmane, was elected president...
CDS-Rahama (Convention démocratique et sociale-Rahama) - National Movement for the Development of SocietyNational Movement for the Development of SocietyThe National Movement for the Society of Development - MNSD / MNSD-Nassara is a political party in Niger. Founded under the military government of the 1974-1990 period, it was the ruling party of Niger from 1989 to 1993 and again from 1999 until a coup on February 18, 2010, by a military junta...
MNSD-Nassara (Mouvement National pour la Societé du Développement-Nassara)
-
- From 1987-1991: Mouvement National de la Societé de Développement (MNSD). Single legal state party.
- Nigerien Party for Democracy and SocialismNigerien Party for Democracy and SocialismThe Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism is a political party in Niger. It is a broadly left-wing party, part of the Socialist International; since 2011 it has been in power following the election of its long-time leader, Mahamadou Issoufou, as President of Niger. Mohamed Bazoum is Acting...
PNDS-Tarayya (Parti Nigerien pour la Democratie et le Socialisme-Tarayya)
- Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism
- From 1987-1991: Mouvement National de la Societé de Développement (MNSD). Single legal state party.
Dominant party of Fourth Republic
- Rally for Democracy and ProgressRally for Democracy and Progress (Niger)The Rally for Democracy and Progress is a political party in Niger. It was established as the ruling party during the presidency of Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara.-Under second military regime and Fourth Republic:...
RDP-Jama'a (Rassemblement pour la Démocratie et le Progrès-Jama'a)
Dominant parties of colonial era, First Republic
- Nigerien Progressive Party-African Democratic RallyNigerien Progressive Party-African Democratic RallyThe Nigerien Progressive Party-African Democratic Rally is a political party in Niger. It was the leading political party of the pre-independence era, becoming the sole legal party of the First Republic . It was led by Niger's first President, Hamani Diori...
PPN-RDA (Parti Progressiste Nigérien-Rassemblement Démocratique Nigerien)
- From 1946-1974: Parti Progressiste Nigérien
- Union of Popular Forces for Democracy and Progress-Sawaba UDFP-Sawaba
- from 1951-57: Nigerien Democratic Union UDN
- from 1957-59: African Socialist Movement MSA-Sawaba
- from 1959-1991: Banned, under several names.
- from 1991: UDFP-Sawaba
- split 1993: UDFR-Sawaba
- Niger Action Bloc (BNA): 1946-53/1956-57
- Union of Nigerien Independents and Sympathizers (UNIS) 1953-1957
- Party of Independents, Niger-East (Parti Independent du Niger-Est, PINE) 1948-1953
- Nigerien Democratic Forces (FDN) 1956-58
Smaller contemporary parties
- Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and ProgressNigerien Alliance for Democracy and ProgressThe Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Progress is a political party in Niger. Moumouni Adamou Djermakoye led the party from its foundation in the early 1990s until his death in 2009.- Second Republic :...
ANDP-Zaman Lahiya (Alliance nigérienne pour la démocratie et le progrès-Zaman Lahiya) - Nigerien Self-Management PartyNigerien Self-Management PartyThe Nigerien Self-Management Party is a political party in Niger. The President of the party and only elected deputy to date is Sanoussi Jackou. Jackou was a former deputy and co-founder of the Democratic and Social Convention , which expelled him in 1996 when he chose to take up ministerial...
PNA-Al'ouma (Parti Nigérien pour l’Autogestion-Al'ouma) - Republican Party for Liberty and Progress-Nakowa PRLPN-Nakowa
- Party for Socialism and Democracy in NigerParty for Socialism and Democracy in NigerThe Party for Socialism and Democracy in Niger is a political party in Niger.At the legislative elections, 4 December 2004, the party won 1.3 % of the popular vote and 1 out of 113 seats....
PSDN-Alheri (Parti pour le socialisme et la démocratie au Niger-Alheri) - Social Democratic RallySocial Democratic RallyThe Social Democratic Rally is a political party in Niger. Its president is Amadou Cheiffou and its first secretary-general is Mahamadou Ali Tchémogo.-Founding and 2004 elections:...
RSD-Gaskiya (Rassemblement social démocratique-Gaskiya) - Union for Democracy and Social Progress-Amana UDPS-Amana
- Union for Democracy and the Republic UDR-Tabbat (Union pour la Démocratie et la République-Tabbat)
- Union of Independent NigeriensUnion of Independent NigeriensThe Union of Independent Nigeriens is a political party in Niger. It contested the legislative elections of 4 December 2004 in an alliance with the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism....
UNI (Union des Nigériens Indépendants) - Union of Democratic and Progressive PatriotsUnion of Democratic and Progressive PatriotsThe Union of Democratic and Progressive Patriots is a centrist Nigerien political party, founded and led by André Salifou. The UPDP has only three times won a handful in the National Assembly of Niger since it formed prior to the 1993 elections. One three occasions these seats were held Professor...
-Chamoua UPDP-Chamoua
Coalitions
- Alliance of the Forces of Change (AFC)Alliance of the Forces of Change (Niger)The Alliance of the Forces of Change was one of the two large political coalitions which contested for power in Niger from 1991 to 1996.-Formation:...
: a nine (later six) party coalition from 1991-1996. Ruling coalition from 1993-1994. - Union for the Franco-African Community (UCFA): PPN led pro-French UnionFrench UnionThe French Union was a political entity created by the French Fourth Republic to replace the old French colonial system, the "French Empire" and to abolish its "indigenous" status.-History:...
coalition: 1958. - Coordination of Democratic Forces (CFD, Coordination des forces démocratiques): 11 party opposition coalition from 2004. Led by PNDSNigerien Party for Democracy and SocialismThe Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism is a political party in Niger. It is a broadly left-wing party, part of the Socialist International; since 2011 it has been in power following the election of its long-time leader, Mahamadou Issoufou, as President of Niger. Mohamed Bazoum is Acting...
. Included PPNNigerien Progressive Party-African Democratic RallyThe Nigerien Progressive Party-African Democratic Rally is a political party in Niger. It was the leading political party of the pre-independence era, becoming the sole legal party of the First Republic . It was led by Niger's first President, Hamani Diori...
, PNA-Al'oumaNigerien Self-Management PartyThe Nigerien Self-Management Party is a political party in Niger. The President of the party and only elected deputy to date is Sanoussi Jackou. Jackou was a former deputy and co-founder of the Democratic and Social Convention , which expelled him in 1996 when he chose to take up ministerial...
, UNIUnion of Independent NigeriensThe Union of Independent Nigeriens is a political party in Niger. It contested the legislative elections of 4 December 2004 in an alliance with the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism....
, UDR-Tabbat.