New Democratic Forces

Not to be confused with New Democratic Force.

The New Democratic Forces (French: Forces démocratiques nouvelles) was a political party in Congo-Brazzaville from 2007 to 2011.

Seven parties,[1] which were formerly members of the United Democratic Forces (FDU),[1][2] agreed to merge to form the FDN on 27 March 2007.[1][3] They were joined by an additional eight parties and political associations on 10 April, resulting in a total of 15: ACOSS, the URN, the UNDP, the RDPC, Parrreco, PR-Le National, the RP, the MURC, the FNDP, CASAP, the ADP, Poucouna, the PPES, the PNDC, and the PPDS.[1] One of them—the Union for National Recovery (URN), led by Gabriel Bokilo—subsequently withdrew from the agreement.[3] Like the FDU, the FDN supports President Denis Sassou Nguesso.[1][4]

In the immediate aftermath of its formation, the FDN was headed by a collective of seven presidents.[1] It then held its constitutive congress in Brazzaville on 19–21 April 2007. This congress initiated a two-year transitional process in the development of the party. The congress elected a National Council with 415 members, a National Executive Bureau with seven members, a Permanent Secretariat with 41 members, and a Control and Evaluation Commission with seven members. The National Executive Bureau was jointly headed by Léon Alfred Opimbat and Jean-Marie Tassoua, while Emile Aurélien Bongouandé was chosen as coordinator of the Permanent Secretariat.[3] In addition to Opimba and Tassou, the party's co-presidents, four vice-presidents were chosen.[4] On behalf of the new party, Opimbat and Tassoua signed an electoral agreement with Sassou Nguesso's Congolese Labour Party (PCT) on 15 May 2007.[2]

In the parliamentary election held on 24 June and 5 August 2007, the party won three out of 137 seats:[5] Jean-Marie Tassoua in Dougou constituency (in Likouala Region), Charlotte Opimbat in the first constituency of Poto-Poto (in Brazzaville),[6] and Léon Alfred Opimbat in Mbomo constituency (in Cuvette West Region).[5]

The FDN signed an agreement to join the Rally of the Presidential Majority (RMP) coalition on 27 March 2008.[7] It subsequently merged itself into the Congolese Labour Party (PCT) on 19 July 2011.[8]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Cyr Armel Yabbat-Ngo, "Bokilo, Opimbat, Tassoua, Loumouamou et les autres se mettent ensemble et créent leur parti, les F.d.n" Archived 2012-02-18 at the Wayback Machine, Le Semaine Africaine, N° 2686, 13 April 2007, page 3 (in French).
  2. ^ a b "Les Forces démocratiques nouvelles et le Parti congolais du travail signent un accord électoral" Archived 2012-02-26 at the Wayback Machine, Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 16 May 2007 (in French).
  3. ^ a b c Roger Ngombé, "Les Forces démocratiques nouvelles se donnent deux ans de transition" Archived 2012-02-26 at the Wayback Machine, Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 23 April 2007 (in French).
  4. ^ a b Jean Dany Ebouélé, "Les Forces démocratiques nouvelles dévoilent les raisons de leur création" Archived 2012-02-26 at the Wayback Machine, Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 27 April 2007 (in French).
  5. ^ a b "Morts et ressuscités..." Archived 2012-03-11 at the Wayback Machine, Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 10 December 2007 (in French).
  6. ^ Roger Ngombé, "Les Forces démocratiques nouvelles présentent leurs deux députés" Archived 2012-03-11 at the Wayback Machine, Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 1 September 2007 (in French).
  7. ^ Willy Mbossa, "Les Forces démocratiques nouvelles formalisent leur adhésion au Rassemblement de la majorité présidentielle" Archived 2012-07-20 at archive.today, Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 27 March 2008 (in French).
  8. ^ Parfait Wilfried Douniama, "Vie des partis : les Forces démocratiques nouvelles se fondent dans le PCT" Archived 2012-07-24 at archive.today, Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 20 July 2011 (in French).