# The Loi-cadre Defferre (1956)

URL: https://allhistories.com/benin/timeline/1956-the-loi-cadre-defferre
Location: Paris, France
Themes: main-event

By the mid-1950s France faced war in Algeria and had lost Indochina, while the British Gold Coast was moving rapidly towards independence. To prevent similar conflicts in black Africa, the overseas minister Gaston Defferre, assisted by Félix Houphouët-Boigny, prepared a 'framework law' (loi-cadre) that allowed the government to reform the territories by decree. The law was passed on 23 June 1956. It introduced universal adult suffrage and abolished the system of separate electoral colleges, so that Europeans and Africans would vote on a single roll. Each territory received an enlarged Territorial Assembly with real powers over local affairs and a Council of Government whose ministers were chosen by the assembly, presided over by the colonial governor with an elected African vice-president. A municipal law of November 1955 had already created full communes, and in November 1956 Dahomey's towns elected their own mayors. The loi-cadre transferred substantial internal powers to Africans for the first time and is seen as the first step towards the French Community and independence. Critics, including Léopold Sédar Senghor, argued that by strengthening each territory it 'balkanised' French West Africa and weakened the federation in Dakar. At this point in the timeline (23 June 1956), the Governor of Dahomey was Casimir Biros (21 June 1955 – 21 March 1958).

## Why it matters
The loi-cadre brought universal suffrage and African-led governments to Dahomey, the decisive step towards self-rule.

Ruler at the Time: [Casimir Biros](https://allhistories.com/benin/rulers/casimir-biros)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Loi-cadre Defferre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loi-cadre_Defferre)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica — loi-cadre](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=loi-cadre)
- [Wikipedia — French West Africa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_West_Africa)
- [Wikipedia — Léopold Sédar Senghor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Léopold_Sédar_Senghor)
- [Wikipedia — Towards Independence (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Dahomey)