Parti des déshérités de Madagascar
Political party in Madagascar / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Parti des déshérités de Madagascar (PADESM, "Party of the Disinherited of Madagascar") was a political party active in Madagascar from June 1946 into the First Republic (1960–1972). It was formed in reaction to the establishment and rapid political success of the Mouvement démocratique de la rénovation malgache (MDRM) political party, formed by Merina elites on a platform of independence from France.While nationalism, including the MDRM, enjoyed broad support across various ethnic communities, PADESM focused on empowering and ensuring fair governance for coastal peoples. These coastal communities had a history of subjugation by the Merina group and were concerned that the MDRM might restore Merina political dominance after independence.
Party of the Disinherited of Madagascar Parti des déshérités de Madagascar | |
---|---|
Founded | June 1946 |
Dissolved | 1960 |
Ideology | Anticolonialism Malagasy nationalism |
Colors | Green |
Party flag | |
PADESM strategically campaigned along ethnic lines, initially welcoming both coastal peoples and descendants of Merina slaves. However, over time, they excluded the latter group entirely. The French colonial administration actively nurtured PADESM’s formation and political achievements, manipulating election outcomes in favor of the coastal party.
The nationalist Malagasy Uprising of 1947 led the French colonial administration to dissolve the MDRM and temporarily suspend all other political parties, including PADESM. Tensions between the parties played out during the uprising through targeted acts of violence between supporters of the rival groups. An estimated 1,900 to 5,000 PADESM supporters were killed during the uprising by pro-MDRM nationalist fighters. After the nationalist movement was crushed in December 1948, PADESM experienced an increase in popularity, aided by continuing French support. The party won several key political elections in the 1950s. Nevertheless, as the process toward independence began, it became fragmented between conservative and progressive factions, with the latter splitting off in December 1956 to form the Parti sociale démocrate (PSD, Social Democratic Party). With this split and independence in 1960, PADESM became moribund.
PADESM has had a lasting impact on political life in Madagascar. Philibert Tsiranana, leader of the PSD, went on to become Madagascar's first president upon independence in 1960. Many other major political figures in Madagascar have connections to PADESM and PSD, including former president Didier Ratsiraka and former prime minister Jacques Sylla. More broadly, the formation of PADESM cemented ethnic rivalries within Malagasy politics, linking the interests of specific ethnic groups with particular political parties.