The Gabonese Democratic Party (, PDG) is a political party in Gabon. It was the dominant political party in Gabonese politics from 1961 until 2023, when it was deposed in a coup d'état against President Ali Bongo. It was also the sole legal party between 1968 and 1990.

History The party was established as the Gabonese Democratic Bloc (, BDG) in 1953 as a merger of the Gabonese Mixed Committee and the Gabonese Democratic Party.Messi Me Nang Clotaire, N’Foule Mba Fabrice & Nnang Ndong Léon-Modeste Le consensus politique au Gabon, de 1960 à nos jours In the 1957 Territorial Assembly elections it won eight seats, finishing behind the Gabonese Democratic and Social Union (UDSG), which had won 14 seats. However, the BDG was able to form a coalition government with the "Entente–Defence of Gabonese Interests" list, headed by one of its members, and five independents.Bernault, Florence (1996) Démocraties ambiguës en Afrique centrale: Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, 1940–1965 Paris: Karthala, , p262

The BDG and UDSG formed an alliance prior to the 1961 general elections, with BDG leader Léon M'ba as the sole presidential candidate, and a joint "National Union" list running unopposed for the National Assembly. The 1964 parliamentary elections saw the two parties run against each other, with the BDG winning 31 of the 47 seats.

The BDG was the only party to contest the 1967 general elections, with M'ba re-elected as President. M'ba died later in the year and was succeeded by Omar Bongo. On 12 March 1968 Bongo reorganised the BDG as the Gabonese Democratic Party,Ian Gorvin (1989) Elections since 1945: a worldwide reference compendium, Longman, p115 which was declared to be the only legally permitted party (though the country had effectively been a one-party state since 1967). For the next quarter-century, the PDG and the government were effectively one. As leader of the PDG, Bongo was automatically reelected as president in 1973, 1979 and 1986, and confirmed in office via a referendum. Voters were presented with single PDG lists for the National Assembly in 1973, 1980 and 1985. Constitutional amendments in May 1990 re-established the multi-party system.

The PDG retained power in the 1990 parliamentary elections, winning 63 of the 120 seats in the National Assembly. Bongo was re-elected again in 1993 with 51% of the vote. The party won 85 seats in the 1996 parliamentary elections, and Bongo was re-elected for a fifth time in 1998, with 67% of the vote. The PDG gained one seat in the 2001 parliamentary elections and Bongo was re-elected again in 2005 with 79% of the vote.

The 2006 parliamentary elections saw the PDG reduced to 82 seats, although it comfortably retained its majority and affiliated parties won a further 17 seats.Elections in Gabon African Elections Database Bongo died in 2009, and his son Ali Bongo became PDG leader. He won presidential elections later in the year with 42% of the vote. The BDG won 113 seats in the 2011 parliamentary elections, which were boycotted by most of the opposition.

Following the overthrow of Ali Bongo as president in the 2023 Gabonese coup d'état, the party elected Blaise Louembe as its new leader in January 2025. It opted not to stand a candidate in the 2025 presidential election, instead endorsing Brice Oligui Nguema, who overthrew Bongo. This was opposed by some party executives and led to the creation of a splinter faction under Ali Akbar Onanga Y’Obégué, who was named by Bongo as the party's rightful leader. At the parliamentary elections later that year, the PDG was reduced to a distant second place, with a rump of only 15 seats.

Congresses On 17–21 September 1986, the PDG held its Third Ordinary Congress in Libreville; at the congress, it designated Bongo as its candidate for the single-party November 1986 presidential election."Apr 1987 – Re-election of President Bongo – Cabinet changes – Internal political and security developments – Economic situation", Keesing's Record of World Events, Volume 33, April, 1987 Gabon, Page 35047.

From 1991 to 1994, the Secretary-General of the PDG was Jacques Adiahénot.

The PDG held its Ninth Ordinary Congress on 19–21 September 2008. At this congress, Faustin Boukoubi, who had been Minister of Agriculture, was elected as the party's Secretary-General;"Gabon : Faustin Boukoubi a pris officiellement ses fonctions" , Infosplusgabon, 26 September 2008 ."PDG: Faustin Boukoubi au gouvernail" , Croissance Saine Environnement, 22 September 2008 ."Gabon : Le challenge de Faustin Boukoubi au secrétariat général du PDG" , Gaboneco, 22 September 2008 . he replaced Simplice Guedet Manzela, who had previously been the Secretary-General for ten years. Also at the congress, the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau, composed of 18 members, was elected. The Standing Committee included two members from each of Gabon's nine provinces, and 15 of its 18 members were also members of the government.

PDG has several branches (or 'Federations') abroad, with the largest being in France and in the United States.

Electoral history

Presidential elections ElectionParty candidateVotes%Result1961Léon M'ba315,335100%Elected 1967346,587100%Elected 1973Omar Bongo515,841100%Elected 1979725,807100%Elected 1986903,739100%Elected 1993213,79351.2%Elected 1998211,95566.9%Elected 2005275,81979.18%Elected 2009Ali Bongo141,95241.75%Elected 2016177,72249.80%Elected 2023293,91964.27%Annulled 2025Did not participate

National Assembly elections ElectionVotes%Seats+/–PositionResult195716,69922.3%New2nd1961315,335100% 59 1st1964142,38955.4% 36 1st1967346,587100% 16 1st1973515,841100% 21 1st1980706,004100% 19 1st1985767,674100% 22 1st1990 57 1st1996 22 1st2001 1 1st2006 4 1st2011 31 1st2018 13 1st2025 79 2nd

Senate elections ElectionSeats+/–PositionResult1997New1st2003 15 1st2009 8 1st2014 6 1st

See also Viviane Biviga Raphael Mangouala Antoine Mboumbou Miyakou Pierre Sockat Simone Saint-Dénis

References