The party was established in August 1957 by a merger of the
Dahomeyan Democratic Movement led by Maga and the
Independents of the North party led by
Paul Darboux. However, Darboux left the party shortly after its establishment and refounded his party as the
Union of Independents of Dahomey. without much support elsewhere. However, it suffered from internal rivalries between factions based in Parakou and
Nikki and conflict between the
Bariba and
Dendi. The RDD won 22 seats in the
1959 elections, and in 1960 agreed to merge with the PRD again, this time under the name
Dahomeyan Unity Party. The party was briefly re-established as the
Dahomeyan National Union (
Union Nationale Dahoméene) following a coup by
Christophe Soglo in 1965. However, all parties were banned by Soglo in December 1965. ==References==