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Why did the African Democratic Rally face suppression by colonial authorities between 1948 and 1950?

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Western Africa The countries of western Africa.

The African Democratic Rally (Rassemblement Démocratique Africain; RDA) faced virtual suppression by colonial administrations between 1948 and 1950 primarily due to its political alignment.1

Led by Félix Houphouët-Boigny, the RDA and its members in the French National Assembly chose to align themselves with the French Communist Party. At that time, the Communist Party represented the only effective opposition to the governments of the Fourth Republic. This association prompted colonial authorities to target the organization for suppression.12

In response to this pressure, the RDA eventually broke its ties with the Communist Party in 1950. Following this shift, the organization began to leverage the votes of its African deputies to influence the unstable, noncommunist coalitions that governed France during the 1950s, ultimately seeking greater freedom for the colonies.1