The alliance was formed by the Nigerien Progressive Party (PPN) and the African Regroupment Party (PRA) in 1958, shortly before the referendum on the French constitution, and was headed by the PPN's Hamani Diori.[1] The PPN had finished second in the 1957 elections, winning 19 of the 60 seats (Sawaba had won the other 41), whilst the PRA had been founded earlier in 1958.