People's Revolutionary Party of Benin
The People's Revolutionary Party of Benin was a political party in the People's Republic of Benin. It was founded in 1975 by Mathieu Kérékou, a General. Under the new constitution of 30 November 1975, the PRPB became the sole legal political party in the country. Ideologically, the party officially adhered to Marxism–Leninism, although it was broadly nationalist in pratice.
History
In 1972, the former French colony of Republic of Dahomey expierenced a military coup d'état, bringing Major Mathieu Kérékou to power. In 1975, Kérékou announced that the country would be renamed Benin and that a new political organisation, the People's Revolutionary Party of Benin would be established to participate in elections. It was subsequently decided that the PRPB would be the sole legal political party, creating a one-party state organised according to Communist principles.In the parliamentary elections of 1979, 1984 and 1989, the PRPB was the only party contesting in the elections. In 1979, the party lists received 1,243,286 votes, in 1984, the party received 1,811,208 votes and in 1989, the party received 1,695,860 votes.
In 1989,, following the parliamentary election, the PRPB formally renounced Marxism–Leninism as its official ideological doctrine. The government also repealed the one-party state framework, permitting the formation of new political parties. The PRPB remained the governing force of Benin until 1990. The party subsequently dissolved, and Mathieu Kérékou contested the 1991 Beninese presidential election as an independent candidate rather than under the PRPB label. The PRPB was succeeded by the Union of Forces of Progress.