French legislative election, 1945 (Guinea)

Elections to the French National Assembly were held in Guinea on 21 October 1945, with a second round of voting on 18 November.^[1] Maurice Chevrance-Bertin and Yacine Diallo 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]

Campaign

The elections were effectively a contest between the Fula and Mandinka. However, two Mandinka candidates stood, splitting their vote, whilst Yacine Diallo was the only Fula to stand.^[2]

Results

Candidate	First round		Second round
	Votes	%	Votes	%
First College
Maurice Chevrance-Bertin	418	35.4	692	49.1
Jean Ferracci	355	30.1	538	38.1
Moreau	–	–	180	12.8
Other candidates	408	34.5	–	–
Invalid/blank votes	237	–	8	–
Total	1,418	100	1,418	100
Registered voters/turnout	1,944	72.9	1,944	72.9
Second College
Yacine Diallo	5,486	42.8	5,774	46.0
Mamba Sano	2,458	19.2	5,065	40.4
Ibrahime Kaba Lamine	1,506	11.7	1,711	13.6
Other candidates	3,378	26.3	–	–
Invalid/blank votes	1	–	96	–
Total	12,829	100	12,646	100
Registered voters/turnout	16,233	79.0	16,233	77.9
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. Although, the attempt failed, Diallo did sit with the SFIO.^[3]

References

1. Dolf Sternberger, Bernhard Vogel, Dieter Nohlen & Klaus Landfried (1978) Die Wahl der Parlamente: Band II: Afrika, Erster Halbband, p836
2. Edward Mortimer (1969) France and the Africans 1944–1960: A political history, Faber, p64
3. Mortimer, p72