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National Movement for the Development of Society
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The National Movement for the Development of Society (French: Mouvement National de la Société de Développement) is a political party in Niger.
The MNSD was founded by President Ali Saibou, as the only legal party in the country. However, by the end of 1990, the Saibou regime acquiesced to the demands of union and student demands to institute a multi-party democratic system.
In 1991, two factions emerged within the MNSD, one behind Tandja Mamadou and the other behind Moumouni Adamou Djermakoye, both of whom had been important figures in the regime of Seyni Kountché.[1][2] At a party congress in March 1991, Saibou retained his position as President of the MNSD, but at another congress held in November 1991, Tandja was elected as MNSD President, while Hama Amadou was elected as its Secretary-General.[2] Tandja's obtaining of the party leadership over Djermakoye marked a departure from the traditional dominance of the party by Djermakoye's Zarma (Djerma) ethnic group. Djermakoye split from the MNSD and formed his own party, the Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ANDP).[1][2]
Tandja was the MNSD candidate in the 1993 presidential election and received first place in the first round, but lost in the second round to Democratic and Social Convention (CDS) candidate Mahamane Ousmane; losing candidates from the first round, whose parties had formed the Alliance of the Forces of Change (AFC) with the CDS, backed Ousmane.[1] Although the MNSD won 29 seats in the February 1993 parliamentary election, more than any other party, it was in opposition after the election because the AFC parties held a majority of seats. However, the MNSD won the January 1995 parliamentary election, in alliance with the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS),[1][2] which had previously been hostile to the MNSD,[1] and smaller parties; the MNSD itself again won 29 seats.[1][2] Hama Amadou of the MNSD then became Prime Minister, in cohabitation with President Ousmane. The cohabitation was marked by sharp rivalry between Amadou and Ousmane, and in January 1996 the military, led by Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara, seized power.[1]
Tandja ran unsuccessfully again in the July 1996 presidential election; he received third place with 15.65% of the vote, after Maïnassara and Ousmane.[3] Along with other opposition parties, grouped together as the Front for the Restoration and Defense of Democracy, the MNSD boycotted the November 1996 parliamentary election.[4] Another coup in April 1999 led to new elections late in the year, and the MNSD won the presidential election, with Tandja as its candidate; he defeated Mahamadou Issoufou of the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS) in the second round, taking 59.89% of the vote.[3][5] The MNSD also won the most seats in the parliamentary election, taking 38 out of 83,[3][5] and in alliance with the CDS it gained a parliamentary majority. Amadou became Prime Minister again.
As President, Tandja had to give up his position as party leader. Hamidou Sékou acted as interim leader[6] until Hama Amadou, previously the party's secretary-general,[7] was elected as President of the MNSD in December 2001.[6][8]
In the presidential election of 16 November and 4 December 2004, Tandja won 40.7% of the vote in the first round[3] and 65.5% in the second round, defeating Mahamadou Issoufou of the PNDS to win re-election.[3][9] In the parliamentary election, held on 4 December 2004, the MNSD won 37.2% of the popular vote[3] and 47 out of 113 seats.[3][9]
Amadou's government was defeated in a no-confidence vote on 31 May 2007, and in early June Seyni Oumarou, also a member of the MNSD, was appointed by Tandja as Amadou's successor.[10]
Currently Hama Amadou is the President of the MNSD and Habi Mahamadou Salissou is its Secretary-General.[11]
- ^ a b c d e f g Jibrin Ibrahim and Abdoulayi Niandou Souley, "The rise to power of an opposition party: the MNSD in Niger Republic", Unisa Press, Politeia, Vol. 15, No. 3, 1996.
- ^ a b c d e Myriam Gervais, "Niger: Regime Change, Economic Crisis, and Perpetuation of Privilege", in Political Reform in Francophone Africa (1997), ed. John F. Clark and David E. Gardinier, pages 100–104.
- ^ a b c d e f g Elections in Niger, African Elections Database.
- ^ "Élections législatives sans l'opposition et sans commentaire", Afrique Express (French).
- ^ a b "Rapport de la Mission d’Observation des Élections Présidentielles et Législatives des 17 octobre et 24 novembre 1999"PDF (1.06 MiB), democratie.francophonie.org (French).
- ^ a b "Les partis politiques nigériens, leurs leaders respectifs et les pratiques politiques inavouables", La Roue de l'Histoire (africatime.com), February 24 – March 1, 2004 (French).
- ^ "POLITIQUE: Hama Amadou est-il présidentiable?", Tamtaminfo.com, February 27, 2007 (French).
- ^ "En piste pour la prochaine présidentielle, Le Premier ministre Hama Amadou désigné président de son parti", Afrique Express, January 2, 2002 (French).
- ^ a b "Tandja wins second term as president in historic first for country", IRIN, December 8, 2004.
- ^ "Niger: proche de son prédécesseur, Seyni Oumarou nommé Premier ministre", AFP (Jeuneafrique.com), June 3, 2007 (French).
- ^ National Political Bureau of the MNSD, MNSD web site (2005 archive) (French).
