View source for Gabonese Democratic Party

{{short description|Former ruling and dominant political party of Gabon}}
{{for|the party formed in 1945|Gabonese Democratic Party (1945)}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2023}}
{{use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox political party
| name             = 
| native_name      = Parti démocratique gabonais
| native_name_lang = fr
| abbreviation     = PDG
| logo             = Gabonese Democratic Party.png
| logo_size        = 
| colorcode        = {{party color|Gabonese Democratic Party}}
| leader           = 
| deputy_leader    = 
| leader1_name     = Paul Biyoghé Mba
| leader1_title    = Senior Vice-President
| secretary_general = [[Angélique Ngoma]]
| spokesperson     = 
| founder          = [[Léon M'ba]] (BDG)<br>[[Omar Bongo]] (PDG)
| foundation       = {{start date and age|1953}}<br>{{small|(Gabonese Democratic Bloc)}}<hr>12 March 1968<br>({{age in years and days|1968|03|12}})<br>{{small|(reorganized as Gabonese Democratic Party)}}
| merger           = [[Gabonese Mixed Committee|CMG]]<br/>[[Gabonese Democratic Party (1945)|PDG (1945)]]
| dissolution      = 
| ideology         = [[Conservatism]]<ref name="long">{{Cite web |last=Bangura |first=Abdul Karim |date=2009-06-13 |title=The Political Longevity of El Hadj Omar Bongo in Gabon Defies Pedestrian Characterization |url=http://www.thepatrioticvanguard.com/the-political-longevity-of-el-hadj-omar-bongo-in-gabon-defies-pedestrian-characterization |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=The Patriotic Vanguard |language=en}}</ref><br/>[[Economic liberalism]]<ref name="long"/><br/>[[Pan-Africanism]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.africanews.com/2023/08/12/gabon-supporters-of-ali-bongo-rally-in-owendo-say-he-is-the-choice-of-reason/|title=Gabon: Supporters of Ali Bongo rally in Owendo, say he is 'the choice of reason'|access-date=31 August 2023}}</ref><br/>[[Francophile|Francophilia]]<br />'''1978–1987:'''<br />[[Planned liberalism]]<ref>A. Eyinga: Gaullist Africa: Cameroon under Ahmadu Ahidjo , cap. From African Socialism to Liberal Planning , Fourth Dimension Publishing Co. Ltd., Enugu, Nigeria 2002 (reprint of the 1978 original), p. 137</ref><ref>Pierre François Gonidec, Vân Minh Trân: Politique comparée du tiers monde , Édition Montchrestien 1980, page numbering missing (ebook) "... the economic regime is « a libéralisme planifié et conducté, capitaliste dans son essence et socialiste dans sa finalité.»"</ref><ref>Marc Aicardi de Saint-Paul: Du roi Denis à Omar Bongo , Éditions Albatros, Paris 1987, page numbering missing (ebook) "... for the sake of economic development and a libéralisme planifié."</ref><br /> '''1987–1990:'''<br/>[[Statism]]<ref>https://bti-project.org/en/reports/country-report/GAB</ref>
| anthem           = {{center|"Hymne du Parti Démocratique Gabonais"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pdgdakar.vefblog.net/cat14/1.html#_2 |title=FEDERATION P.D.G SENEGAL |website=pdgdakar.vefblog.net}}</ref><br><small>"Anthem of the Gabonese Democratic Party"<br />[[File:Hymne du Parti Démocratique Gabonais.ogg|150px|Hymne du Parti Démocratique Gabonais]]</small>}}
| youth_wing       = UJPDG
| womens_wing      = UFPDG
| headquarters     = [[Libreville]]
| position         = [[Centre-right politics|Centre-right]]
| religion         = [[Islam]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ngolet |first=Francois |date=September 2000 |title=Ideological Manipulations and Political Longevity: The Power of Omar Bongo in Gabon since 1967 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/524984 |journal=African Studies Review |volume=43 |issue=2 |pages=55–71 |doi=10.2307/524984|jstor=524984 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>
| international    = [[Centrist Democrat International]]
| newspaper        = 
| slogan           = {{lang|fr|Dialogue, Tolerance, Paix}}<br>{{small|"Dialogue, Tolerance, Peace"}}
| seats1_title     = [[National Assembly of Gabon|National Assembly]]
| seats1           = {{Composition bar|21|145|hex={{party color|Gabonese Democratic Party}}}}
| seats2_title     = [[Senate of Gabon|Senate]]
| seats2           = {{Composition bar|81|100|hex={{party color|Gabonese Democratic Party}}}}
| website          = {{URL|https://web.archive.org/web/20200811070644/https://www.pdg-gabon.com/|pdg-gabon.com}}
| country          = Gabon
}}
{{Politics of Gabon}}

The '''Gabonese Democratic Party''' ({{langx|fr|Parti démocratique gabonais}}, 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 [[2023 Gabonese coup d'état|a coup d'état]] against [[President of Gabon|President]] [[Ali Bongo]]. It was also the sole legal party between 1968 and 1990.

==History==
The party was established as the '''Gabonese Democratic Bloc''' ({{Lang|fr|Bloc Démocratique Gabonais}}, BDG) in 1953 as a merger of the [[Gabonese Mixed Committee]] and the [[Gabonese Democratic Party (1945)|Gabonese Democratic Party]].<ref name=MALD>Messi Me Nang Clotaire, N’Foule Mba Fabrice & Nnang Ndong Léon-Modeste [http://mald.univ-paris1.fr/doctorants/rencontres/intervention_gabon.pdf Le consensus politique au Gabon, de 1960 à nos jours] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151210222617/http://mald.univ-paris1.fr/doctorants/rencontres/intervention_gabon.pdf |date=2015-12-10 }}</ref> In the [[Gabonese Territorial Assembly election, 1957|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.<ref>Bernault, Florence (1996) ''Démocraties ambiguës en Afrique centrale: Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, 1940–1965'' Paris: Karthala, {{ISBN|2-86537-636-2}}, p262</ref>

The BDG and UDSG formed an alliance prior to the [[Gabonese general election, 1961|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 (Gabon)|National Assembly]]. The [[1964 Gabonese parliamentary election|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 Gabonese general election|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,<ref>Ian Gorvin (1989) ''Elections since 1945: a worldwide reference compendium'', Longman, p115</ref> 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 Gabonese general election|1973]], [[1979 Gabonese presidential election|1979]] and [[1986 Gabonese presidential election|1986]], and confirmed in office via a referendum. Voters were presented with single PDG lists for the National Assembly in 1973, [[1980 Gabonese legislative election|1980]] and [[1985 Gabonese legislative election|1985]]. Constitutional amendments in May 1990 re-established the multi-party system.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/223148/Gabon/40743/Administration-and-social-conditions#ref=ref467697&tab=active~checked%2Citems~checked&title=Gabon%20%3A%3A%20Administration%20and%20social%20conditions%20--%20Britannica%20Online%20Encyclopedia|title=Gabon|year=2008|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica Online|access-date=2008-09-15}}</ref>

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

The [[2006 Gabonese legislative election|2006 parliamentary elections]] saw the PDG reduced to 82 seats, although it comfortably retained its majority and affiliated parties won a further 17 seats.<ref>[http://africanelections.tripod.com/ga.html Elections in Gabon] African Elections Database</ref> Bongo died in 2009, and his son [[Ali Bongo]] became PDG leader. He won [[2009 Gabonese presidential election|presidential elections]] later in the year with 42% of the vote. The BDG won 113 seats in the [[2011 Gabonese legislative election|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 Gabonese presidential election|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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 July 2025 |title=Gabon: Ali Bongo's Gabonese Democratic Party mired in succession battle |url=https://www.africanews.com/2025/07/14/gabon-ali-bongos-gabonese-democratic-party-mired-in-succession-battle/ |access-date=15 July 2025 |website=Africanews |language=en}}</ref> At [[2025 Gabonese parliamentary election|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.<ref>"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.</ref>

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;<ref>[http://www.infosplusgabon.com/article.php3?id_article=2468 "Gabon : Faustin Boukoubi a pris officiellement ses fonctions"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104111232/http://infosplusgabon.com/article.php3?id_article=2468 |date=2010-01-04 }}, Infosplusgabon, 26 September 2008 {{in lang|fr}}.</ref><ref name=Cro>[http://www.croissancesaine.org/show_article.php?IDActu=2522 "PDG: Faustin Boukoubi au gouvernail"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090505164638/http://www.croissancesaine.org/show_article.php?IDActu=2522 |date=2009-05-05 }}, Croissance Saine Environnement, 22 September 2008 {{in lang|fr}}.</ref><ref name=Challenge>[http://gaboneco.com/show_article.php?IDActu=10103 "Gabon : Le challenge de Faustin Boukoubi au secrétariat général du PDG"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080923114723/http://www.gaboneco.com/show_article.php?IDActu=10103 |date=2008-09-23 }}, Gaboneco, 22 September 2008 {{in lang|fr}}.</ref> he replaced [[Simplice Guedet Manzela]], who had previously been the Secretary-General for ten years.<ref name=Cro/><ref name=Challenge/> 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.<ref name=Challenge/>

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

{{anchor|Current deputies of the PDG in the National Assembly}}

== Electoral history ==

=== Presidential elections ===
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
!Election
!Party candidate
!Votes
!%
!Result
|-
![[1961 Gabonese general election|1961]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Léon M'ba]]
|315,335
|100%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
![[1967 Gabonese general election|1967]]
|346,587
|100%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
![[1973 Gabonese general election|1973]]
| rowspan="6" |[[Omar Bongo]]
|515,841
|100%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
![[1979 Gabonese presidential election|1979]]
|725,807
|100%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
![[1986 Gabonese presidential election|1986]]
|903,739
|100%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
![[1993 Gabonese presidential election|1993]]
|213,793
|51.2%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
![[1998 Gabonese presidential election|1998]]
|211,955
|66.9%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
![[2005 Gabonese presidential election|2005]]
|275,819
|79.18%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
![[2009 Gabonese presidential election|2009]]
| rowspan="3" |[[Ali Bongo]]
|141,952
|41.75%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
![[2016 Gabonese presidential election|2016]]
|177,722
|49.80%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
![[2023 Gabonese presidential election|2023]]
|293,919
|64.27%
|'''Annulled''' {{Nay}}
|-
![[2025 Gabonese presidential election|2025]]
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#eeeeee" |''Did not participate''
|}

=== National Assembly elections ===
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
!Election
!Votes
!%
!Seats
!+/–
!Position
!Result
|-
![[1957 Gabonese Territorial Assembly election|1957]]
|16,699<br>{{Small|in alliance with [[Entente (Gabon)|Entente]] and [[Defence of Gabonese Interests|DGI]]}}
|22.3%
|{{Composition bar|8|40|{{party color|Gabonese Democratic Party}}}}
|New
|2nd
|{{yes2|BDG–[[Entente (Gabon)|Entente]]–[[Defence of Gabonese Interests|DGI]] coalition government}}
|-
![[1961 Gabonese general election|1961]]
|315,335<br>{{Small|in alliance with [[Gabonese Democratic and Social Union|UDSG]]}}
|100%
|{{Composition bar|67|67|{{party color|Gabonese Democratic Party}}}}
|{{increase}} 59
|{{increase}} 1st
|{{yes2|BDG–[[Gabonese Democratic and Social Union|UDSG]] coalition government}}
|-
![[1964 Gabonese parliamentary election|1964]]
|142,389
|55.4%
|{{Composition bar|31|47|{{party color|Gabonese Democratic Party}}}}
|{{decrease}} 36
|{{steady}} 1st
|{{yes2|Supermajority government}}
|-
![[1967 Gabonese general election|1967]]
|346,587
|100%
|{{Composition bar|47|47|{{party color|Gabonese Democratic Party}}}}
|{{increase}} 16
|{{steady}} 1st
|{{yes|Sole legal party}}
|-
![[1973 Gabonese general election|1973]]
|515,841
|100%
|{{Composition bar|70|70|{{party color|Gabonese Democratic Party}}}}
|{{increase}} 21
|{{steady}} 1st
|{{yes|Sole legal party}}
|-
![[1980 Gabonese parliamentary election|1980]]
|706,004
|100%
|{{Composition bar|89|89|{{party color|Gabonese Democratic Party}}}}
|{{increase}} 19
|{{steady}} 1st
|{{yes|Sole legal party}}
|-
![[1985 Gabonese parliamentary election|1985]]
|767,674
|100%
|{{Composition bar|111|120|{{party color|Gabonese Democratic Party}}}}
|{{increase}} 22
|{{steady}} 1st
|{{yes|Sole legal party}}
|-
![[1990 Gabonese parliamentary election|1990]]
|
|
|{{Composition bar|63|120|{{party color|Gabonese Democratic Party}}}}
|{{decrease}} 57
|{{steady}} 1st
|{{yes2|Majority government}}
|-
![[1996 Gabonese parliamentary election|1996]]
|
|
|{{Composition bar|85|120|{{party color|Gabonese Democratic Party}}}}
|{{increase}} 22
|{{steady}} 1st
|{{yes2|Supermajority government}}
|-
![[2001 Gabonese parliamentary election|2001]]
|
|
|{{Composition bar|86|120|{{party color|Gabonese Democratic Party}}}}
|{{increase}} 1
|{{steady}} 1st
|{{yes2|Supermajority government}}
|-
![[2006 Gabonese parliamentary election|2006]]
|
|
|{{Composition bar|82|120|{{party color|Gabonese Democratic Party}}}}
|{{decrease}} 4
|{{steady}} 1st
|{{yes2|Supermajority government}}
|-
![[2011 Gabonese parliamentary election|2011]]
|
|
|{{Composition bar|113|120|{{party color|Gabonese Democratic Party}}}}
|{{increase}} 31
|{{steady}} 1st
|{{yes2|Supermajority government}}
|-
![[2018 Gabonese parliamentary election|2018]]
| colspan="2" |{{Small|in alliance with [[Restoration of Republican Values|RV]] and [[Union for Democracy and Social Integration|UDIS]]}}
|{{Composition bar|100|143|{{party color|Gabonese Democratic Party}}}}
|{{decrease}} 13
|{{steady}} 1st
|{{yes2|PDG–[[Restoration of Republican Values|RV]]–[[Union for Democracy and Social Integration|UDIS]] coalition government}}
|-
![[2025 Gabonese parliamentary election|2025]]
| colspan="2" |{{Small|in alliance with [[Democratic Union of Builders|UDB]]}}
|{{Composition bar|21|145|{{party color|Gabonese Democratic Party}}}}
|{{decrease}} 79
|{{decrease}} 2nd
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|}

=== Senate elections ===
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
!Election
!Seats
!+/–
!Position
!Result
|-
!1997
|{{Composition bar|52|92|{{party color|Gabonese Democratic Party}}}}
|New
|1st
|{{yes2|Governing majority}}
|-
!2003
|{{Composition bar|67|92|{{party color|Gabonese Democratic Party}}}}
|{{increase}} 15
|{{steady}} 1st
|{{yes2|Governing supermajority}}
|-
!2009
|{{Composition bar|75|102|{{party color|Gabonese Democratic Party}}}}
|{{increase}} 8
|{{steady}} 1st
|{{yes2|Governing supermajority}}
|-
!2014
|{{Composition bar|81|100|{{party color|Gabonese Democratic Party}}}}
|{{increase}} 6
|{{steady}} 1st
|{{yes2|Governing supermajority}}
|}

== See also ==
* [[Viviane Biviga]]
* [[Raphael Mangouala]]
* [[Antoine Mboumbou Miyakou]]
* [[Pierre Sockat]]
* [[Simone Saint-Dénis]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Gabonese political parties}}
[[Category:1953 establishments in Gabon]]
[[Category:Conservative parties in Africa]]
[[Category:Pan-Africanist political parties in Africa]]
[[Category:Parties of one-party systems]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1953]]
[[Category:Political parties in Gabon]]