P.A.I.G.C. logo
*On this date in 1956, The African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) began.
PAIGC is a political party in Guinea-Bissau. Formed initially as a peaceful campaign for independence from Portugal, the party turned to armed conflict in the 1960s. It was one of the belligerents in the Guinea-Bissau War of Independence. Towards the war's end, the party established a socialist one-party state, which remained intact until the early 1990s.
Although the party won the first multi-party elections in 1994, it lost power in the 1999–2000 elections. However, it returned to office after winning parliamentary elections in 2004 and presidential elections in 2005, since it has remained the largest party in the National People's Assembly. The PAIGC also governed Cape Verde from its independence in 1975 to 1980.
After the military coup in Guinea-Bissau 1980, it became the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde. After achieving independence, the PAIGC was Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde's sole legal political party. The PAIGC's seventh Ordinary Congress was held in Gabú in June 2008. After their president's death in January 2012, Carlos Gomes Júnior was nominated as the PAIGC candidate and advanced to the runoff alongside Iála.
Still, a military coup in April prevented it from taking place. General elections were eventually held in 2014 and saw PAIGC candidate José Mário Vaz elected president. The party also retained its majority in the National People's Assembly, winning 57 of the 102 seats.
