Benin
Benin is a lower-middle income hybrid regime with mid-range performance across most of the Global State of Democracy Indices (GSoDI) indicators. Over the past five years, there have been significant declines in many areas of democratic performance, including aspects of Representative Government (Clean Elections, Free Political Parties), Fundamental Rights (Access to Justice, Civil Liberties), Checks on Government (Effective Parliament, Judicial Independence, Media Integrity), and Civil Society Participation. Conversely, there has been an improvement in Absence of Corruption, reflecting recent efforts to crack down on graft. Economically, Benin remains reliant on agriculture—particularly cotton—as well as gold mining.
Benin, formerly known as Dahomey, was at one time one of the great kingdoms of West Africa. The country gradually came under the control of the French starting in the 1600s and became an independent nation in 1960. While Benin was governed by the authoritarian regime of Mathieu Kérékou from 1972 to 1991, the country transitioned to multiparty democracy in 1991. For many years after that, it was seen as a regional, democratic leader. Since 2016, however, the government has been criticized for undermining political institutions by coopting the legislature, subverting the independence of the judiciary and suppressing the media. An electoral reform that prevented all opposition parties from participating in the 2019 legislative elections led to record low voter turnout, large-scale protests, arbitrary arrests, and an Internet shutdown. Subsequent elections, including for local government and for the presidency in 2020 and 2021, respectively, further cemented the power of the governing party, as the electoral laws were changed in ways that clearly disadvantaged opposition parties, in some cases preventing their participation in elections. An opposition party was able to participate in the 2023 election despite ongoing challenges, and won 28 seats. The government has said that its moves are meant to modernize the country, end corruption and inefficiency and provide incentives for politicians to work across ethnic lines and form broader coalitions.
Several other issues also drive politics in the West African nation. Corruption has long been in the spotlight, and development is a major issue. Despite growth in economic output, hunger remains widespread, and poverty rates have even climbed in certain years. Issues of social inequity are also salient. People with albinism regularly face discrimination, and a UN report found that a national plan of action against racism had been only partially implemented. While progress has occurred on women’s rights issues, including the election of the first female vice president, rates of gender-based violence remain very high.
Looking ahead, it will be important to watch Checks on Government and Fundamental Rights, especially in light of the return of opposition parties to parliament for the first time in four years. The 2026 presidential election, when the current president will be term-limited, will constitute an important potential turning point.
Monthly Updates
January 2023 | Governing parties maintain majority in legislature, but opposition gains representation
Benin’s legislative elections on 8 January were closely watched as an indicator of the country’s democratic trajectory. Opposition parties had been prevented from participating in the last legislative elections in 2019, however five opposition parties were on the ballot in 2023. Most notably, the Democrats overcame procedural hurdles and won 28 seats in the 109-seat parliament. The two parties allied with President Talon, the Republican Bloc and the Progressive Union for Renewal, won 28 and 53 seats, respectively. Women’s representation also improved, with 28 women taking seats in the new parliament, 22 more than before. Opposition parties have levied accusations of electoral fraud. Observers from the Economic Community of West African States noted that the election was ‘conducted in a calm and peaceful atmosphere.’ Unlike the 2019 election, there was no violence, and no shutdown of the Internet. Turnout was reported to be 38.6 per cent of the registered voters. This is a significant increase from the 27.2 per cent who voted in 2019.
November 2022 | Opposition party candidate list accepted ahead of January election
As Benin prepares for the January 2023 legislative elections, political parties were required to submit their candidate lists to the National Autonomous Electoral Commission (CENA) for verification. The inadmissibility of any candidate results in the rejection of the entire list. In the case of the opposition party, The Democrats, four candidates (out of 218) were found to be lacking certificates from the tax authority and the party list was rejected, potentially eliminating the party from contesting the election. However, the party appealed this decision to the Constitutional Court. On 19 November, the Court ruled in the party’s favour, requiring CENA to allow The Democrats to submit a new list of candidates. The second list was accepted as valid. This brings the number of parties contesting the legislative election to seven, including the main opposition parties.
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