1956 Eritrean parliamentary election

1956 Eritrean parliamentary election

← 1952 5–6 September 1956 1960 →

Party Leader Seats Unionist Party Tedla Ogbit 32 Others 36 This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.

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Assembly elections were held in Eritrea on 5 and 6 September 1956.^[1] All candidates ran as independents.^[2]

Background

Elections had previously been held in 1952 during the British administration. Following the elections, article 45 of the new Eritrean constitution required that the Legislative Assembly pass a new electoral law to replace the 1951 proclamation and establish an Electoral High Commission prior to the next elections.^[1] In 1953 the Assembly rejected a draft law, and the government obtained confirmation from the Attorney General that the 1951 proclamation would still be applicable.^[3]

However, this had not been done, and in the months leading up to the 1956 elections the Muslim League asked the Supreme Court to declare them unconstitutional.^[3]

Conduct

The Eritrean police force began harassing opponents of the Unionist Party government in September 1955 under the leadership of pro-Unionist Tedla Ogbit.^[3] The federal authorities also intervened to "frighten off any possible opposition", and one anti-Unionist candidate, Muhammed Omar Akito, had a bomb thrown into his living room.^[4]

However, the Supreme Court made some interventions on behalf of the opposition, demanding opposition candidate Fessha Woldermariam be released from police detainment after he was arrested a week before nominations closed.^[3] It also confirmed the victory of opposition candidate Muhammed Omar Akito, which the Assembly had declared invalid.^[4]

Results

A total of 188 candidates contested the 68 seats, with 32 Unionists elected.^[4]

Elected members

Aftermath

The self-dissolution of the Assembly in 1962 was the pretext for annexation of Eritrea by Imperial Ethiopia.^[2]

References