Benin Holds Elections a Month After Foiled Coup Attempt

Beninese voters went to the polls on Sunday for crucial parliamentary and local elections, just a month after a failed coup attempt rattled the West African nation. 

President Patrice Talon’s ruling coalition is widely expected to consolidate its dominance, while the main opposition Democrats party was barred from participating in the local polls.

The elections follow a December 7 coup attempt by army mutineers, which was quickly suppressed with military support from Nigeria and France. 

AFP reporters noted that streets in Cotonou, the country’s economic capital, were quiet as polling stations opened at 7:00 a.m. local time.

A local voter and restaurateur, Adeline Sonon, told reporters she arrived early to avoid the midday crowds after church.

The single-round legislative elections are set to fill all 109 seats in the National Assembly, with Talon’s three-party bloc aiming to strengthen its current 81-seat majority. 

Observers warned that the Democrats, only contesting parliamentary races, risk losing all 28 of their seats due to an electoral law requiring parties to secure at least 20 per cent of registered voter support in each of the country’s 24 districts.

The campaign unfolded without major rallies, with most parties relying on grassroots strategies such as door-to-door canvassing. 

The head of the electoral commission (CENA), Sacca Lafia, stated on Saturday that all measures had been taken to ensure a free, transparent, and secure vote, emphasising that no political ambition should justify violence or threaten national unity.

The legislative results are expected to shape the political sector ahead of the April presidential elections.

While Talon, 67, is barred from seeking a third term, his hand-picked successor, Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, is seen as a strong favourite. 

Talon’s nearly decade-long tenure has been marked by significant economic development, though critics accuse him of restricting political opposition and curtailing civil liberties.

Polls are scheduled to close at 5:00 p.m. local time.