Benin Holds Parliamentary and Local Elections One Month After Failed Coup Attempt

Beninese voters went to the polls on Sunday for crucial parliamentary and local elections, a vote taking place just one month after a coup attempt was foiled in the country, election officials and local observers said.

The single-round legislative elections will determine all 109 seats in the National Assembly. The vote comes against the backdrop of political tensions following a brief mutiny on December 7, which was subdued within hours with support from regional forces, including Nigeria’s air force.

As polling stations opened in Cotonou and other towns early Sunday, authorities reported calm conditions. Citizens cast ballots to decide the balance of power in the legislature, where President Patrice Talon’s ruling coalition seeks to strengthen its majority.

The main opposition Democrats party was barred from the local polls, raising concerns among critics who say restrictions on political participation could affect the credibility of the process. Grassroots mobilisation was evident at many polling stations, with voters citing stability and economic development as key concerns.

Election officials said measures were in place to ensure transparent and secure voting. Sacca Lafia, head of the electoral commission, pledged that “all measures have been taken to guarantee a free, transparent and secure vote.”

While President Talon is constitutionally ineligible to run in the upcoming April presidential election, his allied bloc, the Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace, hopes to maintain its dominant position. Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni is widely viewed as a leading candidate for the presidency.

Observers say the outcome of these elections will shape Benin’s political landscape ahead of the next national vote, testing both popular support and institutional resilience after recent instability.

SOURCE: AFP