Benin holds parliamentary election set to test democracy

News 13:45 08 Jan, 2023
Benin holds parliamentary election set to test democracy

Voters in Benin go to the polls on Sunday for a parliamentary election seen as a test of democracy as opposition parties are back on the ballot after boycotting or being excluded from the most recent presidential and legislative votes, Qazet.az reports.

Benin's image as a bastion of democracy and stability in West Africa has been dented under President Patrice Talon, who went back on a pledge not to run for another term and oversaw an opposition crackdown since coming to power in 2016.

Seven parties are competing for 109 parliamentary seats in Sunday's vote, including the Democrates party linked to Talon's predecessor and rival Thomas Boni Yayi. Boni Yayi's supporters led protests in 2019 after opposition parties were blocked from the legislative vote for failing to meet strict new election criteria.