Social Party for the Emancipation of the African Masses

Social Party for the Emancipation of the African Masses (in French: Parti Social pour l'Émancipation des Masses Africaines) was a political party in Upper Volta, led by Joseph Conombo and Henri Guissou. PSEMA was founded in 1955 following a split in the Voltaic Union.

Social Party for the Emancipation of the African Masses
Parti Social pour l'Émancipation des Masses Africaines
AbbreviationPSEMA
LeaderJoseph Conombo
Henri Guissou
Founded1955
Split fromVoltaic Union
National affiliationSV
Continental affiliationPRA

Ahead of the 1957 territorial assembly elections, PSEMA joined the Unified Democratic Party (PDU) coalition, which won the elections. PSEMA candidates did, however, not fare too well. After the elections PSEMA split from PDU and joined the Voltaic Solidarity (SV) grouping. Effectively it lost government power.

In 1958 PSEMA, along with the rest of SV, merged into the African Regroupment Party (PRA).

Source: Englebert, Pierre. La Revolution Burkinabè. Paris: L'Harmattan, 1986.