Benin’s ruling coalition has named Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni as its candidate for the 2026 presidential election, putting forward the man widely credited as a chief architect of the government’s economic policies to carry forward ongoing reforms.
President Patrice Talon has confirmed he will step down after serving two terms — a rare move in West and Central Africa, where democratic norms are increasingly strained.
The Republican Bloc and the Progressive Union for Renewal, the two parties in the ruling coalition, endorsed Wadagni on Sunday, highlighting both his record and his alignment with Talon’s vision. They called on members and activists to rally behind him.
Wadagni, a former Deloitte executive who entered government in 2016, has overseen economic and financial reforms designed to stabilise public finances and expand infrastructure. “He thus appears to be one of the best placed to continue and deepen the development actions initiated since 2016,” the Republican Bloc said in its statement.
The Progressive Union for Renewal noted that, despite Benin’s relative stability and strong economic performance, the country still faces pressing challenges, including youth unemployment and the rising cost of living.
Political analyst Fidele Ayena told Reuters that the nomination signals “strong internal consensus” within the ruling coalition, eliminating the need for primaries, while pointing to Talon’s backing as decisive.
Elsewhere in the region, several long-serving leaders are preparing to extend their rule. Ivory Coast’s Alassane Ouattara is seeking a fourth term, Cameroon’s Paul Biya an eighth, and Central African Republic’s Faustin-Archange Touadéra a third. These bids — made possible through constitutional changes and legal manoeuvres — have renewed concerns over the state of democracy in the region, already weakened by eight coups between 2020 and 2023.
