Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy

The Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy (Template:Langx, FRUD; Template:Langx) is a political party in Djibouti. It is aligned with the interests of the Afar people who live in the country, although it has supporters residing outside of Djibouti.

History

Uprising against the government and party split

Three Afar groups—Action for the Revision of Order in Djibouti, the Front for the Restoration of Right and Equality, and the Djibouti Patriotic Resistance Front—merged in 1991 to form FRUD. In late 1991, FRUD launched a rebellion against the Issa-dominated government.

Nearly 1,000 people died during the conflict until 1994.<ref name="CSP">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In that year, the party split into two factions: a moderate wing, led by Ali Mohamed Daoud,<ref name=PP>Political Parties of the World (6th edition, 2005), ed. Bogdan Szajkowski, p. 180</ref> signed a peace agreement with the government on 26 December 1994 in Aba'a,<ref>"«Le FRUD a toujours apporté son soutien à l’action du chef de l’Etat et continuera de le faire dans l’avenir », déclare le président du FRUD, M. Mohamed Ali Daoud"Template:Dead link, ADI, 20 June 2002 Template:In lang.</ref> while other wing, led by Ahmed Dini Ahmed, denounced this agreement and continued armed resistance.<ref name=PP/> The radicals held a congress in northern Djibouti for six days in late September 1994, and announced on 30 September 1994 that the congress delegates "unanimously reaffirmed their determination to pursue armed struggle until their political goals are satisfied," while electing Dini at the head of the faction's executive committee.<ref>"DINI'S FACTION REAFFIRMS PURSUIT OF ARMED STRUGGLE", Reuters, 30 September 1994 (Horn of Africa Bulletin, Vol. 6 No. 5 (September–October 1994).</ref>

Insurgency by FRUD-C

After the party's split, the FRUD-C (Front pour la restauration de l’unité et de la démocratie – Combattant, or Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy – Combatant; alternatively called "FRUD Ahmed Dini faction", "FRUD-Radicals", "FRUD-Armé" or "Armed FRUD") was organized by those FRUD members determined to keep fighting. They continued an insurgency against the government of Djibouti with the support of Eritrea with arms and probably logistics in an effort to cut the supply routes from Djibouti to landlocked Ethiopia during the Eritrean–Ethiopian War. Up to 2014, the insurgency caused 100 deaths.<ref name="reuters">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Since then, there have only been few attacks. In January 2021, FRUD-C killed a policeman.<ref name="reuters" /> On 7 October 2022, FRUD-C attacked a military barracks in Garabtisan, killing seven soldiers, wounding four. Six were reported as missing. This assault was strongly denounced not only by Djibouti's government,<ref name="reuters" /><ref name="defense post">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> but also FRUD's moderate faction as "unjustifiable in the current context of political pluralism."<ref name="defense post" />

Activity of the moderate faction

While the radical FRUD elements continued to fight, the Daoud faction began to participate in national politics.

As a result of its December 1994 agreement with the government, the moderate faction was given two ministerial positions on 8 June 1995: FRUD President Daoud became Minister of Health and Social Affairs, while FRUD Secretary-General Ougoure Kifle Ahmed became Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources.<ref>Christophe Farah, "EX-REBELS IN DJIBOUTI'S COALITION GOVERNMENT", Reuters, June 9, 1995.</ref> The moderate faction was formally legalized in March 1996.<ref>"Djibouti: Political opposition parties (This Response replaces an earlier version dated 13 January 1999. Template:Webarchive", Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (UNHCR Refworld), DJI31018.FE, 1 February 1999.</ref> On 15–16 April 1997, it held its First Ordinary Congress, electing a 153-member National Council and a 21-member Executive Committee. Although the party continued to be led by Daoud, who is an Afar, the composition of the leadership selected at this congress reflected the party's efforts to appeal to other ethnic groups aside from its Afar base. Djama Djellai, an Issa, was chosen as First Vice-President, and Ismael Youssouf, a Gadabursi, was chosen as Second Vice-President. The Executive Committee included several representatives of ethnic groups aside from the Afar: four were Issa, two were Gadabursi, two were Arabs, and one was Isaaq.<ref>"First FRUD congress held", Indian Ocean Newsletter, 16 April 1997 (Horn of Africa Monthly Review, 21 February–28 April 1997).</ref> FRUD took part in the December 1997 parliamentary election in alliance with the ruling People's Rally for Progress (RPP),<ref name=PP/><ref name=Hand>Political Handbook of the World: 1998 (1998), page 261 (cited in "Djibouti: Political opposition parties (This Response replaces an earlier version dated 13 January 1999.) Template:Webarchive", Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (UNHCR Refworld), DJI31018.FE, 1 February 1999.</ref> and this alliance won 78.5% of the vote, taking all 65 seats in the National Assembly.<ref name=Hand/>

1999 presidential election

Ismail Omar Guelleh of the RPP stood in the presidential election held on April 9, 1999, as the joint candidate of the RPP and FRUD, receiving 74.02% of the vote.<ref>"Proclamation du Président de la République de Djibouti par le Conseil Constitutionnel." Template:Webarchive, Journal Officiel de la République de Djibouti Template:In lang.</ref> Prior to the election, Abatte Ebo Adou, a FRUD parliamentary deputy, announced that he would stand as a presidential candidate and was expelled from FRUD as a result.<ref>"Djibouti: Flap in FRUD", Indian Ocean Newsletter, No. 839, 2 January 1999 (cited in "Djibouti: Political opposition parties (This Response replaces an earlier version dated 13 January 1999.) Template:Webarchive", Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (UNHCR Refworld), DJI31018.FE, 1 February 1999).</ref>

For its part, the radical faction eventually signed its own peace agreement with the government in 2001.<ref name=PP/>

FRUD held its Second Ordinary Congress on 28–29 April 2002. Daoud was re-elected as FRUD President at this congress, and the party's Executive Committee was reduced from 27 to 19 members.<ref>"Le Conseil National du FRUD élit les 19 membres de son Comité Exécutif"Template:Dead link, ADI, 4 May 2008 Template:In lang.</ref>

2003 parliamentary election

In the parliamentary election held on 10 January 2003, the moderate faction was part of the Union for the Presidential Majority (Union pour la Majorité Présidentielle, UMP), which won 62.7% of the popular vote and all seats.<ref name=PP/> The radical faction participated in the election as part of the opposition coalition, the Union for a Democratic Change.<ref>"Djiboutis to vote Friday in Parliamentary polls" Template:Webarchive, Middle East Online, 9 January 2003.</ref>

Third Ordinary Congress

The moderate faction held its Third Ordinary Congress, attended by 1,250 delegates,<ref>"Sous le signe des réformes" Template:Webarchive, La Nation, 31 May 2007 Template:In lang.</ref> on 30–31 May 2007. Daoud was re-elected as President of FRUD by acclamation, without opposition. At the congress, FRUD's National Council was expanded to 335 members; the FRUD Executive Committee named at this congress included 26 members, four of whom were women.<ref>"M. Ali Mohamed Daoud réélu président du Frud" Template:Webarchive, ADI, 3 June 2007 Template:In lang.</ref> FRUD was again part of the UMP for the February 2008 parliamentary election;<ref>"14% de sièges aux femmes" Template:Webarchive, La Nation, 16 January 2008 Template:In lang.</ref> the UMP again won all seats amidst an opposition boycott.<ref>IPU-PARLINE page for 2008 election</ref>

Electoral history

National Assembly elections

Election	Party leader	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Position	Result
1997	Ali Mohamed Daoud	72,073 Template:Small	78.56%	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 54	Template:Increase 1st	Template:Yes2
2003		53,293 Template:Small	62.7%	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 11	Template:Steady 1st	Template:Yes2
2008		103,463 Template:Small	94.06%	Template:Composition bar	Template:Steady	Template:Steady 1st	Template:Yes2
2013		74,016 Template:Small	61.5%	Template:Composition bar	Template:Decrease 10	Template:Steady 1st	Template:Yes2
2018		105,278 Template:Small	87.83%	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 2	Template:Steady 1st	Template:Yes2
2023		159,658 Template:Small	93.68%	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 1	Template:Steady 1st	Template:Yes2