The UDD was established in 1955 by a merger of the
Dahomeyan Progressive Union (UPD) and the
African People's Bloc (BPA). It aimed to be a nationwide party, but despite initially gaining support from across the country, it quickly became identified as the party of the
Fon of
Abomey and
Cotonou. Despite its internal problems and regionalised support base, the UDD emerged as the second-largest party in the
1957 Territorial Assembly elections, winning seven seats. However, the
1959 elections produced an unbalanced result; although the UDD received 44% of the vote, more than any other party, it won just 11 of the 70 seats in the Territorial Assembly, whilst the
Dahomeyan Democratic Rally (RDD) won 22 seats with 17% of the vote and the
Republican Party of Dahomey (PRD) took 37 seats, more than three times the number of the UDD. Following the elections, accusations of fraud led to an agreement being reached with the PRD to redistribute nine seats. In
elections held the following year, the
Dahomeyan Unity Party, a merger of the PRD and the RDD, won every seat after President
Hubert Maga changed the electoral system, leaving the UDD without parliamentary representation. Following the elections, the UDD was banned on 11 April 1961 and Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin was imprisoned. ==References==