Union for the Republic and Democracy
The party was formed by those who supported Soumaïla Cissé during the 2002 election. Most of its members came from ADEMA, the former ruling party. It is believed they felt betrayed by outgoing President Alpha Oumar Konaré, who supported Amadou Toumani Touré (eventual winner of the 2002 presidential election) against his own party. The MCCDR of Boubacar Karamoko Coulibaly and the PMDR of Abdoul Wahab Berthe joined the URD. Both men are vice-presidents of the URD.
The party placed second in the 2004 municipal elections and had 17 members in the National Assembly, including prominent members such as Mamadou Awa Gassama Diaby of Yelimane and Baba Oumar Bore of Kita. The party had 114 mayors in Mali including Ali Farka Touré of Niafunke and Demba Fane of the fifth district of Bamako.
The URD backed Amadou Toumani Touré for re-election in the April 2007 presidential election. The party, part of the pro-Touré Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ADP), won 34 out of 147 seats in the July 2007 parliamentary election.[1]
At the URD’s Third Ordinary Congress in November 2014, Soumaïla Cissé succeeded Younoussi Touré as President of the URD. Touré was instead designated as Honorary President.[2] Following May 2020 the party won 17 seats out of 147 in the National Assembly of Mali, which makes it the third largest political party.
Political chessboard new memberships to the URD
The president of the coordination of commune 6 of the URD, Mamadou SANOGO, and the president of the CPR, Ibrahim DABO, signed the document formalizing this membership. The event was supervised by a strong delegation from the national office of the URD led by the 3rd vice-president, Mrs. COULIBALY Kadiatou SAMAKE.
The ceremony took place in front of the headquarters of the URD of commune 6 in the presence of the communal authorities and traditional leaders of the said locality as well as URD activists who came in large numbers to mark the event.
Created following frustration within ADEMA, the Convention for Renewal (CPR) decided to merge with the URD of the late Soumaïla CISSE. The decision was made, its president indicated, following numerous discussions with political parties “wanting us to work together”.
To settle the issue, explained the leader of the CPR, Ibrahim DABO, a working commission was then formed and recommended to the office to merge with the URD.
“We are a party with communal roots. And in commune 6, the URD is the best established and very organized party. That is why it was decided to join this party,” justified Mr. DABO.
Receiving these new activists, President Mamadou SANOGO affirmed: “The big family is growing more and more. This ceremony confirms that the URD is a rising force.” Before adding: “the party welcomes men and women convinced for the cause of the country, but also of the party of the handshake.”
URD Press Release Results of the Constitutional Court, Army Day
The URD is concerned about the response given by the constitutional court to the sham election in Tessit, and demands from its activists greater vigilance and commitment to reduce the consequences of an electoral farce whose modus operandi has unfortunately just been ratified.
The URD insistently recalls that the fragile situation of our country, especially in its northern part, obliges the Administration to demonstrate professionalism and neutrality in the organization of the second round, to avoid any slippage that could result from its actions marked by bias.
The URD deplores the failure to hold elections in the Commune of Talataye and calls on the Government to create the conditions so that all populations in the Ansongo electoral district can fulfill their civic duty to vote.
True to its unwavering commitment to the Republic, Democracy, the rule of law, justice and citizen equality, the URD urges its activists to remain mobilized and invites them to learn all the lessons from this first round in order to ensure victory for our candidate on the evening of January 31, 2016.
The URD calls on the CENI, national and international opinion, each in its own capacity, to fully play its role as supervisor so that the results of the second round are faithful to the aspirations of the people of Ansongo.
URD President Gouagnon Coulibaly calls for broad consensus among all stakeholders to conduct the various electoral processes
The president of the Union for the Republic and Democracy (URD) presented the party’s wishes to the Malian and foreign press at the Maison de la Presse on Saturday, January 28. This was an opportunity for Gouagnon Coulibaly to comment on national news.
“Mali is going through one of the biggest crises in its contemporary history ,” the president of the Union for the Republic and Democracy (URD) admitted outright. This situation is characterized by widespread insecurity in the country, the high cost of living, the debate on the preliminary draft of a new constitution and the return to constitutional order.
Despite these various crises, Gouagnon Coulibaly indicated that significant efforts have been made by the transitional authorities to curb this multifaceted crisis. It is in this context that he welcomed the strengthening of the operational capacities of the armed and security forces, in particular the visible improvement of the air vector, and the provision of adequate military equipment, materials and machinery. ” Today our army, one of the strongest in the sub-region, is the pride of all Malians ,” rejoiced the leader of the handshake party.
Gouagnon Coulibaly did not fail to touch on the high cost of living that is hitting the Malian population hard. While welcoming the accuracy of the measures taken to improve the purchasing power of Malians, he said he encouraged the executive to ” persevere on this path in order to ease the daily lives of our fellow citizens “. The president of the URD also returned to the debate around the preliminary draft of the new Constitution that is fueling the debate in Mali.
Alpha Oumar Konare
Alpha Oumar Konaré ( Listen ), born onFebruary 2, 1946in Kayes in French Sudan , is a Malian statesman and historian . He was President of the Republic from 1992 to 2002 and Chairman of the African Union Commission until 2008. He is to date the only Malian president to have ended his term with a transition between two elected presidents and not a coup d’état.
Alpha Oumar Konaré was born onFebruary 2, 1946in Kayes . He is the son of a teacher, one of 14 children 1 . He attended primary school in Kayes, then went to the modern college in Kayes , the Terrasson de Fougères high school in Bamako , the Sainte-Marie de Hann course in Dakar ( Senegal ) and, between 1962 and 1964, the Katibougou secondary teacher training college. He did his higher education in history and archaeology at the Bamako Higher Teacher Training College (1965-1969) and at the University of Warsaw ( Poland ) between 1971 and 1975
2007 Malian presidential election
The 2007 presidential election in Mali was won by incumbent President Amadou Toumani Touré in the first round.
The first round was held on April 29. A second round was scheduled for May 13 if no candidate obtained an absolute majority . The election campaign for the first round took place from April 8 to April 27. For the second round, it would have taken place from the day after the proclamation of the final results of the first round to May 11.
This election takes place 5 years after the election of Amadou Toumani Touré in 2002. The former military coup leader who participated in the overthrow of Moussa Traoré and chaired the Transitional Committee for the Salvation of the People before handing over power to the elected president Alpha Oumar Konaré had retired from the army to run in the presidential election. He was elected in the second round against Soumaïla Cissé . The conditions of his election were welcomed by the international community , although the candidate who came in third place, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta , mentioned fraud preventing him from reaching the second round. Mali was becoming a showcase for the democratization of Africa.
These five years have been marked by a consensus imposed by the Head of State. While the two Prime Ministers who succeeded each other were independent figures from the parties, the main political parties were represented in the government. However, as this election approached, the consensus gradually crumbled, with several leaders and political parties refusing a new candidacy for Amadou Toumani Touré. However, he was able to rally the majority of the political class around his candidacy.
2013 Malian presidential election
The 2013 Malian presidential election was held on July 28, 2013 and August 11, 2013 to elect the President of the Republic of Mali .
Originally scheduled for 2012, the presidential election was postponed due to the military coup that overthrew President Amadou Toumani Touré on the night of March 21-22, 2012, while northern Mali was in the grip of an armed insurrection led by the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad and armed jihadist organizations.
The second term of President Amadou Toumani Touré , elected on May 12, 2002 and re-elected on April 29, 2007 , ended in 2012. In accordance with the Constitution which limits the number of terms to two, the outgoing president confirmed during a press conference theJune 12, 2011that he will not represent himself
On January 17, 2012, Tuareg rebels from the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) attacked the Malian army in Ménaka. This was the beginning of a new insurrection led by a movement reinforced in men and weapons by the return of Tuaregs who had joined the Libyan army after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi ‘s regime . The MNLA demanded the independence of the three regions located in northern Mali: Kidal , Gao and Timbuktu . Due to a lack of resources, the Malian army suffered setbacks against MNLA fighters
Amadou Toumani Toure
Amadou Toumani Touré ( Listen ), known as ATT , born onNovember 4, 1948in Mopti ( French Sudan , current Mali ) and died onNovember 10, 2020in Istanbul , Turkey , is a Malian military and statesman . He was head of state from 1991 to 1992 and then president of the Republic from 2002 to 2012.
Amadou Toumani Touré was born onNovember 4, 1948in Mopti , in the former French Sudan , where he attended primary school. Between 1966 and 1969, he was enrolled in the Badalabougou secondary teacher training college in Bamako to become a teacher .
Finally, he joined the army by entering the Kati inter -service school . Within the 33rd Parachute Commando Regiment , he quickly climbed the ranks. After several internships in the USSR and France , he became commander of the 33rd RCP in 1984.