Word: opangault
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After short, chubby Abbe Fulbert Youlou maneuvered his way into power as the new Congo Republic's first Premier last November, he felt in no position to test his strength in a popular vote. His archrival, Jacques Opangault, who barely missed getting the job himself, persistently demanded general elections, but Premier Youlou refused, using his meager majority of one vote in the Legislative Assembly to proclaim himself in control until 1962. The political squabble touched off bloody rioting that in February left more than 100 dead in Brazzaville's native quarters...
...With a nice piece of gerrymandering, he increased the size of the Legislative Assembly from 45 to 61 seats, and saw to it that most of the new constituencies were located in the south, where Youlou supporters are concentrated. As further insurance, Opposition Leader Opangault was kept in jail, accused of provoking the February riots. Last week, to almost no one's surprise, Youlou won massively, gained a majority of 41 in the new Assembly...
...priest who is forbidden to say Mass but still wears a soutane-has long favored keeping a firm tie with France, once blurted in a fit of candor that is rare in Africa these days: "We will need French aid until the year X." His longtime rival, Socialist Jacques Opangault, dreams of the day when the former territories of French Equatorial Africa will be united in a federation on its own. When the time came to vote on the territory's status under the new De Gaulle constitution, Opangault's Deputies-seeing themselves losing by one vote-began...
Since the capital city of Pointe Noire is in the hands of a tribe allied to Socialist Opangault's loyal followers, the M'Boshi, the abbe hastily got the seat of government moved to Brazzaville. There he somehow managed to increase his majority in the Parliament from one seat to seven. Opangault again and again charged bribery, and announced that he and his party would boycott Parliament unless the Premier forthwith set a date for new elections. Last week the ultimatum expired, and the fighting began...
...Brazzaville, went on the air to plead for calm, even spoke harshly to his own Balali followers. Eventually, to the embarrassment of the new republic, French troops had to be called in to restore order. An uneasy peace returned, with at least 500 people under arrest. Among them: Jacques Opangault, charged with "incitement to sedition, rebellion and pillage...