KEY POINTS
- Benin parliamentary elections follow a foiled December coup attempt.
- Ruling coalition is expected to widen its legislative majority.
- Benin parliamentary elections shape April presidential transition.
Benin goes to the polls on Sunday for parliamentary and local elections that are expected to consolidate the grip of President Patrice Talon’s ruling coalition, just weeks after a failed coup attempt unsettled the country and months before a tightly managed presidential transition.
The vote comes at a sensitive political moment. Although Talon cannot run for a third term under the constitution, attention has already shifted to April’s presidential election. Talon’s chosen successor, Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, leads the race and will face only one challenger, Paul Hounkpe of the FCBE party, a moderate opposition group that has signed cooperation agreements with ruling bloc parties.
FCBE candidates contesting Sunday’s parliamentary elections plan to join Talon’s coalition if they win, further strengthening the ruling bloc’s control of the legislature.
Benin parliamentary elections strengthen ruling bloc
The Democrats risk losing further influence as the ruling coalition leverages its organisational reach and alliances. Talon, 67, has overseen years of steady economic growth and infrastructure investment since taking office in 2016, but critics accuse his administration of narrowing political space and weakening checks on executive power.
Although the constitution bars Talon from seeking a third term, political focus has already shifted to April’s presidential election. Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, Talon’s chosen successor, leads the race and will face only one challenger, Paul Hounkpe of the FCBE party, a moderate opposition group that has signed cooperation agreements with ruling bloc parties.
FCBE candidates contesting Sunday’s parliamentary elections plan to join Talon’s coalition if they win, boosting the ruling bloc’s power in the legislature.
Security weighs on Benin parliamentary elections
Security concerns are also shaping the political environment. Northern Benin has increasingly felt the spillover of jihadist violence linked to Al-Qaeda-affiliated groups operating in neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, raising fears about regional instability and border protection.
A constitutional amendment passed in November extended presidential terms to seven years, while retaining a two-term limit. The change means that after Sunday’s vote and the April presidential election, Benin will face a prolonged period without national elections. Opposition figures have criticised the reform, arguing it places democratic freedoms “in quarantine.”
Sunday’s elections will define Benin’s political landscape, cement alliances, and set the tone for a tightly managed transfer of power later this year.
