French legislative election, 1945 (Cameroon)

Elections to the French National Assembly were held in French Cameroons on 21 October 1945, with a second round of voting on 18 November.^[1] Louis-Paul Aujoulat and Alexandre Douala Manga Bell were elected.

Electoral system

The two seats allocated to the constituency were elected on two separate electoral rolls; French citizens elected one MP from the first college, whilst non-citizens elected one MP in the second college.^[1]

Background

The relationship between the French and the African population of Cameroon were poor at the time of the election; the Africans were unenthusiastic about French colonialism and their economic situation. Although trade unions had been legalised in 1944, commercial interests had subsequently formed the Etats Généreaux de la Colonisation Française, which opposed abolishing forced labour. Announcements from the new body infuriated African workers, leading to the strikes starting on 24 September, which turned into full-scale riots. The violence led to the deaths of eight Africans and the secretary of the Chamber of Commerce.^[2]

Campaign

Alexandre Douala Manga Bell, chief of the Duala, ran for the second college, but was opposed by Governor Henri Pierre Nicolas. Although some of his supporters were jailed, this only served to increase his popularity.^[2]

The first college election was a close race between Louis-Paul Aujoulat, a Catholic missionary, and the candidate representing commercial interests.^[2]

Results

Candidate	First round		Second round
	Votes	%	Votes	%
First College
Louis-Paul Aujoulat	371	27.1	640	47.3
Georges Molinatti	322	23.6	365	27.0
Jules Ninine	316	23.1	349	25.7
Seven other candidates	358	26.2	–	–
Invalid/blank votes	45	–	26	–
Total	1,412	100	1,380	100
Registered voters/turnout	1,991	70.9	1,970	70.5
Second College
Alexandre Douala Manga Bell	3,779	38.8	5,274	51.6
André Fouda	1,648	16.9	4,612	45.1
Njoya Arouna	1,654	17.0	–	–
Amougu	1,061	10.9	–	–
Pierre Ripaud	214	2.2	197	1.9
Albert Rouly	131	1.3	133	1.3
Five other candidates	1,260	12.9	–	–
Invalid/blank votes	132	–	102	–
Total	9,879	100	10,318	100
Registered voters/turnout	12,468	79.2	12,588	82.0
Source: Sternberger et al

Aftermath

Following the elections, Senegalese MP Lamine Guèye attempted to persuade all the African MPs to form an African Bloc, which would be affiliated with the SFIO. However, the attempt failed, and both Aujoulat and Douala Manga Bell joined the Popular Republican Movement.^[3]

References

1. Dolf Sternberger, Bernhard Vogel, Dieter Nohlen & Klaus Landfried (1978) Die Wahl der Parlamente: Band II: Afrika, Erster Halbband, pp902–903
2. Edward Mortimer (1969) France and the Africans 1944–1960: A political history, Faber, p67
3. Mortimer, p72