[1] It emerged as the largest party in the 1952 Territorial Assembly elections, winning 19 of the 32 second college seats.
[1] However, internal disagreements led to the parties splitting back into their original forms in 1959.
[2] The PRD also won the 1959 elections, despite receiving fewer votes than the Dahomeyan Democratic Union (UDD).
Due to accusations of fraud, it later agreed to give nine seats to the UDD,[3] but remained the largest party in the Assembly.
[4] In November 1960 the PND agreed to merge with the RDD and the National Liberation Movement led by Jean Pliya and Albert Teveodjré, this time under the name Dahomeyan Unity Party.