GOVERNMENT
Post-Independence
Politics
Between 1960 and 1972, a succession of military coups brought
about many changes of government. The last of these brought to
power Major Mathieu Kérékou as the head of a regime
professing strict Marxist-Leninist principles. The Revolutionary
Party of the People of Benin (PRPB) remained in complete power
until the beginning of the 1990s. Kérékou, encouraged
by France and other democratic powers, convened a national conference
that introduced a new democratic constitution and held presidential
and legislative elections. Kérékou's principal opponent
at the presidential poll, and the ultimate victor, was Prime Minister
Nicéphore Soglo. Supporters of Soglo also secured a majority
in the National Assembly.
Benin
was thus the first African country to effect successfully the
transition from dictatorship to a pluralistic political system.
In the second round of National Assembly elections held in March
1995, Soglo's political vehicle, the Parti de la Renaissance du
Benin, was the largest single party but lacked an overall majority.
The success of a party formed by supporters of ex-president Kérékou,
who had officially retired from active politics, encouraged him
to stand successfully at both the 1996 and 2001 presidential elections.
During
the 2001 elections, however, alleged irregularities and dubious
practices led to a boycott of the run-off poll by the main opposition
candidates. The four top-ranking contenders following the first
round presidential elections were Mathieu Kerekou (incumbent)
45.4%, Nicephore Soglo (former president) 27.1%, Adrien Houngbedji
(National Assembly Speaker) 12.6%, and Bruno Amoussou (Minister
of State) 8.6%. The second round balloting, originally scheduled
for March 18, 2001, was postponed for days because both Soglo
and Houngbedji withdrew, alleging electoral fraud. This left Kerekou
to run against his own Minister of State, Amoussou, in what was
termed a "friendly match."
In December
2002, Benin held its first municipal elections since before the
institution of Marxism-Leninism. The process was smooth with the
significant exception of the 12th district council for Cotonou,
the contest that would ultimately determine who would be selected
for the mayoralty of the capital city. That vote was marred by
irregularities, and the electoral commission was forced to repeat
that single election. Nicephore Soglo's Renaisance du Benin (RB)
party won the new vote, paving the way for the former president
to be elected Mayor of Cotonou by the new city council in February
2002.
National Assembly elections took place in March 2003 and were generally considered to be free and fair. Although there were some irregularities, these were not significant and did not greatly disrupt the proceedings or the results. These elections resulted in a loss of seats by RB--the primary opposition party. The other opposition parties, the Party for Democratic Renewal (PRD) led by the former Prime Minister Adrien Houngbedji and the Alliance Etoile (AE), joined the government coalition.
Former West African Development Bank Director Boni Yayi won the March 2006 election for the presidency in a field of 26 candidates. International observers including the United Nations, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and others called the election free, fair, and transparent. President Kérékou was barred from running under the 1990 constitution due to term and age limits. President Yayi was inaugurated on April 6, 2006.
Benin held legislative elections on March 31, 2007 for the 83 seats in the National Assembly. The "Force Cowrie for an Emerging Benin" (FCBE) party, closely linked to President Yayi, won a plurality of the seats in the National Assembly, providing the President with considerable influence to ensure success for his anti-corruption agenda in the legislature.
Principal
Government Officials
President of the Republic (Head of State and Head of the Government)--Boni Yayi
Ambassador to the United States--Sègbé Cyrille Oguin
Permanent Representative to the United Nations--Simon Idohou
Benin
maintains an embassy in the United States at 2124 Kalorama Road,
Washington, DC 20008, tel. 202-232-6656. The Permanent Representative
of the Republic of Benin to the United Nations is located at 4
East 73rd Street, New York, NY 10021 tel. 212-249-6014, fax 212-734-4735.
Type:
Republic under multiparty democratic rule.
Independence: August 1, 1960.
Constitution: December 10, 1990.
Branches: Executive--President, elected by popular
vote for 5-year term, appoints the Cabinet. Legislative--Unicameral,
83-seat National Assembly directly elected by popular vote for
4-year terms. Judicial--Constitutional Court: seven members nominated
by National Assembly and then appointed by the President; Supreme
Court: 13 members, six elected by National Assembly, the Constitutional
Court (except for its President) ex officio, and the President
of the Supreme Court ex officio. Constitutional Court:
seven members nominated by President of the Republic (three) and
by National Assembly (4). Supreme Court: president
nominated by the President of the Republic after advice of the
President of the National Assembly. High Court of Justice: All
members of Constitutional Court (except its president), six deputies,
and President of the National Assembly.
Subdivisions: Twelve departments: Alibori, Atakora,
Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Couffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme,
Plateau, and Zou.
Political parties (partial listing of major parties):
La Renaissance du Bénin (RB), Party of Democratic Renewal
(PRD), Social-Democrat Party (PSD), African Movement for Development
and Progress (MADEP), Party of Democratic Renewal-Rainbow (PRD-Arc-en-ciel),
Alliance Etoile, Action Front for Democratic Renewal (FARD-ALAFIA),
African Congress for Renewal (CAR-DUNYA), Impulse for Progress
and Democracy (IPD), Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ADP),
National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP), New Generation
for the Republic (NGR), Our Common Cause (NCC), Ensemble, National
Rally for Democracy (RND), Rally for Progress and Renewal (RPR),
Movement for the People Alternative (MAP), National Rally for
Unity and Democracy (RUND), Congress of African Democrat (CAD),
Movement for Citizens' Commitment and Awakening (MERCI), Democratic
Union for Economic and Social Development (UDES), Rally for Democracy
and Progress (RDP), Communist Party of Benin (PCB).
