November 1946 French legislative election in Gabon–Moyen Congo

Elections to the French National Assembly were held in Gabon and Moyen Congo as part of the wider French elections election on 10 November 1946.

Electorate and constituencies

The electorate of French colonies in Africa was divided into two segments, one elected by common law citizens (the first college, i.e. French citizens) and one elected by citizens of professional stature (the second college, i.e. Africans who were 21 years and above, and qualified as a member of one of twelve specified categories; civil servants, notables, soldiers and veterans, heads of native collectivities, members of native courts, etc.). In the Gabon-Moyen-Congo constituency for a single first college seat, there were 4,148 registered voters,[1] whilst the two second college seats had 26,530 registered voters in Gabon and 23,119 in Moyen Congo respectively.[1]

In French West Africa the setting up of two separate electoral colleges had caused an uproar, there were generally few reactions from in French Equatorial Africa (AEF). The Congolese member of the National Assembly, Jean-Félix Tchicaya, was the sole voice from the AEF to condemn the separate electoral college system during the debates in the National Assembly in the run-up to the elections.[2]

Electoral participation (amongst the second college) was 47.8% in Gabon and 67.7% in Moyen-Congo.[2]

Results

In the second college, Jean-Félix Tchicaya (the leader of the Congolese Progressive Party) was elected from Moyen-Congo and Jean-Hilaire Aubame was elected from Gabon.[3] Aubame got 7,069 votes, out of 12,528 votes cast.[4] Barthélemy Boganda of the Popular Republican Movement (MRP) was elected from Oubangui-Chari.[5]

Maurice Bayrou was elected from the first college Gabon–Moyen Congo seat. He contested the election as an 'independent socialist', supported by the local French administration. His main rival was the SFIO candidate Henri Seignon. Bayrou got 55.1% (around 1195 votes) of the votes and Seignon 39% (846 votes). After the elections, Bayrou joined the Gaullist Rally of the French People.[6][7]

Candidate Party Votes % Notes
First college (Moyen Congo-Gabon)
Maurice BayrouRally of the French People1,19558.5Elected
Henri SeignonFrench Section of the Workers' International84641.5
Invalid/blank votes126–
Total2,167100
Registered voters/turnout4,14852.2
Second college (Moyen Congo)
Félix TchicayaCongolese Progressive Party8,63563.6Elected
Jacques OpangaultFrench Section of the Workers' International4,28131.6
Charles Gougaud-d'OutremeyDemocratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance6544.8
Invalid/blank votes2,082–
Total15,652100
Registered voters/turnout23,11967.7
Second college (Gabon)
Jean-Hilaire AubameFrench Section of the Workers' International7,06956.4Elected
Emile Issembe4,93039.4
Jean Rémy AyounéPopular Republican Movement3012.4
Louis Bigmann2281.8
Invalid/blank votes158–
Total12,686100
Registered voters/turnout26,53047.8
Source: Sternberger et al.[1]

References
  1. Dolf Sternberger, Bernhard Vogel, Dieter Nohlen & Klaus Landfried (1978) Die Wahl der Parlamente: Band II: Afrika, Erster Halbband, pp711, 1048–1049
  2. Thompson, Virginia McLean, and Richard Adloff. The Emerging States of French Equatorial Africa. Stanford, Calif: Stanford University Press, 1960. pp. 37-40
  3. Bernault, Florence. Démocraties ambiguës en Afrique centrale: Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, 1940-1965. Paris: Karthala, 1996. p. 106
  4. "Biographies des députés de la IVe République: Jean-Hilaire Aubame", National Assembly of France (in French), archived from the original on 2014-05-17, retrieved 2009-12-15
  5. "Biographies des députés de la IVe République: Barthélemy Boganda", National Assembly of France (in French), retrieved 2009-12-15
  6. Bernault, Florence. Démocraties ambiguës en Afrique centrale: Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, 1940-1965. Paris: Karthala, 1996. pp. 123-124
  7. "Biographies des députés de la IVe République: Henri Seignon", National Assembly of France (in French), retrieved 2009-12-15
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