Although Portugal officially abolished slavery in 1876, the practice of forced paid labor continued.
By 1908, São Tomé had become the world's largest producer of cocoa, which still is the country's most important crop. The roças system, which gave the plantation managers a high degree of authority, led to abuses against the African farm workers.
"Forced labour in the 'Gorgulho Years': Understanding reform and repression in Rural São Tomé e Príncipe, 1945–1953." Itinerario 38.1 (2014): 103–124. Weszkalnys, Gisa.
It is estimated to have saved more than a million lives. ==Movement towards independence== By the late 1950s, when other emerging nations across the African Continent were demanding independence, a small group of São Toméans had formed the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe (MLSTP), which eventually established its base in nearby Gabon.
During the Great Depression, worker exploitation worsened. Sporadic labor unrest and dissatisfaction continued well into the 20th century, culminating in an outbreak of riots in 1953 in which several hundred African laborers were killed in a clash with their Portuguese rulers.
Picking up momentum in the 1960s, events moved quickly after the overthrow of the Caetano dictatorship in Portugal in April 1974.
This "Batepá Massacre" remains a major event in the colonial history of the islands, and its anniversary is officially observed by the government. During the 1967–70 secession war from Nigeria (Nigerian Civil War), São Tomé served as the major base of operations for the Biafran airlift.
– Overview of the decolonization of Portugal's African colonies, and a chapter specifically about São Tomé and Príncipe's experience since the 1970s. Eyzaguirre, Pablo B.
Picking up momentum in the 1960s, events moved quickly after the overthrow of the Caetano dictatorship in Portugal in April 1974.
The new Portuguese regime was committed to the dissolution of its overseas colonies; in November 1974, their representatives met with the MLSTP in Algiers and worked out an agreement for the transfer of sovereignty.
After a period of transitional government, São Tomé and Príncipe achieved independence on July 12, 1975, choosing as its first president the MLSTP Secretary General Manuel Pinto da Costa. ==Modern São Tomé and Príncipe== In 1990, São Tomé became one of the first African countries to embrace democratic reform and changes to the constitution—the legalization of opposition political parties—led to elections in 1991 that were nonviolent, free, and transparent.
Miguel Trovoada, a former prime minister who had been in exile since 1986, returned as an independent candidate and was elected president.
São Tomé and Príncipe: from plantation colony to microstate (Westview Press, 1988). Keese, Alexander.
After a period of transitional government, São Tomé and Príncipe achieved independence on July 12, 1975, choosing as its first president the MLSTP Secretary General Manuel Pinto da Costa. ==Modern São Tomé and Príncipe== In 1990, São Tomé became one of the first African countries to embrace democratic reform and changes to the constitution—the legalization of opposition political parties—led to elections in 1991 that were nonviolent, free, and transparent.
After a period of transitional government, São Tomé and Príncipe achieved independence on July 12, 1975, choosing as its first president the MLSTP Secretary General Manuel Pinto da Costa. ==Modern São Tomé and Príncipe== In 1990, São Tomé became one of the first African countries to embrace democratic reform and changes to the constitution—the legalization of opposition political parties—led to elections in 1991 that were nonviolent, free, and transparent.
Municipal elections followed in late 1992, in which the MLSTP came back to win a majority of seats on five of seven regional councils.
Local elections, the first since 1992, took place on 27 August 2006 and were dominated by members of the ruling coalition. Evaristo Carvalho has been the President of São Tomé and Príncipe since 2016 elections, after winning the incumbent President Manuel Pinto da Costa.
In early legislative elections in October 1994, the MLSTP won a plurality of seats in the Assembly.
Trovoada was re-elected in São Tomé's second multiparty presidential election in 1996.
It regained an outright majority of seats in the November 1998 elections.
Presidential elections were held in July 2001.
Parliamentary elections were held in March 2002.
In December 2018, Jorge Bom Jesus, the leader of the Movimento de Libertação de São Tomé e Príncipe-Partido Social Democráta (MLSTP-PSD), was sworn in as prime minister. ==See also== History of Africa Politics of São Tomé and Príncipe List of heads of state of São Tomé and Príncipe List of heads of government of São Tomé and Príncipe ==References== ==Further reading== Chabal, Patrick (ed.) 2002.
For the next four years, a series of short-lived, opposition-led governments were formed. The army seized power for one week in July 2003, complaining of corruption and that forthcoming oil revenues would not be divided fairly.
An accord was negotiated under which President de Menezes was returned to office. The cohabitation period ended in March 2006, when a pro-presidential coalition won enough seats in National Assembly elections to form and head a new government. In the 30 July 2006 presidential election, Fradique de Menezes easily won a second five-year term in office, defeating two other candidates Patrice Trovoada (son of former President Miguel Trovoada) and independent Nilo Guimarães.
Local elections, the first since 1992, took place on 27 August 2006 and were dominated by members of the ruling coalition. Evaristo Carvalho has been the President of São Tomé and Príncipe since 2016 elections, after winning the incumbent President Manuel Pinto da Costa.
Patrice Emery Trovoada was Prime Minister since 2014 and he is the leader of Independent Democratic Action party (ADI).
Local elections, the first since 1992, took place on 27 August 2006 and were dominated by members of the ruling coalition. Evaristo Carvalho has been the President of São Tomé and Príncipe since 2016 elections, after winning the incumbent President Manuel Pinto da Costa.
In December 2018, Jorge Bom Jesus, the leader of the Movimento de Libertação de São Tomé e Príncipe-Partido Social Democráta (MLSTP-PSD), was sworn in as prime minister. ==See also== History of Africa Politics of São Tomé and Príncipe List of heads of state of São Tomé and Príncipe List of heads of government of São Tomé and Príncipe ==References== ==Further reading== Chabal, Patrick (ed.) 2002.
All text is taken from Wikipedia. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License .
Page generated on 2021-08-05