Benin elects lawmakers, allowing the opposition to speak

Benin elects a new parliament on Sunday, and after a four-year hiatus, opposition candidates are now permitted to run in the legislative elections.

The vote on Sunday will be a very important test for the West African country. Critics of President Patrice Talon say that his time in office has hurt democracy, while his supporters say that he has brought the country political and economic success.

As a result of stricter voting rules, the opposition could not really vote in the most recent parliamentary elections in 2019.

The only two political movements affiliated with Talon were allowed to participate at the time, which resulted in a pro-government party-controlled parliament.

Violence, a record number of people voting, and a blackout of the internet all messed up the 2019 parliamentary elections. These things don’t happen often in a country that was once seen as a model of democracy in West Africa.

Seven political parties, including three that are aligned with the opposition, have been given permission to run in the election on Sunday.

However, most of Talon’s top rivals are either imprisoned or exiled.

Joel Aivo, a scholar, was awarded 10 years in prison for “conspiracy against the power of the state” in December 2021, while Reckya Madougou received a 20-year term for “terrorism.”

Both were brought before the CRIET, a specialised court for terrorist and economic offenses. Critics claim that since Talon’s government established the court in 2016, it has been used to repress his rivals.

According to a new electoral system, around 6.6 million voters will have the opportunity to elect 109 representatives on Sunday, including at least 24 women—oone in each constituency.

The outcome of Sunday’s election will affect more than just the opposition’s bid to get seats back in the legislature. The tiny country, which is between Nigeria and Togo, has a lot of different institutions.

The Constitutional Court’s term is up this year, and with three years until the 2026 presidential election, the court’s makeup is important because it reviews election-related issues.

The president appoints three judges, while the parliament appoints the other four. Talon, a successful businessman, won elections in 2016 and 2021.