2019 Beninese parliamentary election
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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28 April 2019
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All 83 seats in the National Assembly 42 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||
| Turnout | 27.12% | |||||||||||||||||
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This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
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Parliamentary elections were held in Benin on 28 April 2019.[1]
Electoral system
The 83 members of the National Assembly are elected by proportional representation in 24 multi-member constituencies, based on the country's departments.[2] A controversial new electoral code introduced in July 2018 saw the creation of an electoral threshold of 10% of the national vote to enter parliament (higher than most countries which use a threshold), whilst the deposit required for a parliamentary list was increased from 8.3 million francs to 249 million francs (equivalent to roughly 380,000 euros).[3] The reforms were aimed at reducing the large number of active political parties, which at the time numbered around 200.[3]
Accordig to Freedom House, from 2019 on Benin ceased to be an electoral democracy.[4][5]
Campaign
Due to the higher electoral threshold, several new parties and blocs were formed prior to the elections.[1] The Progressive Union was formed by a merger of over 20 parties and alliances, including Union Makes the Nation, the Benin Rebirth Party, the Social Democratic Party, Key Force, the Congress of People for Progress, the United Democratic Forces, the Union for Relief, the Union for Democracy and National Solidarity, the Scout Alliance and the Union for Benin.[6]
Despite a call from Cowry Forces for an Emerging Benin leader and former President Thomas Boni Yayi for unity amongst opposition parties,[7] it was reported that several opposition parties appeared set to run alone, including the Democratic Renewal Party (PRD).[1]
Although it was announced on 16 January 2019 that the opposition would form a single bloc to participate in the elections,[8] only two blocs were registered to contest the elections – the Republican Bloc and the Progressive Union, both of which were linked to President Patrice Talon.[9] The election commission rejected the applications of five opposition groups, including the PRD, Cowry Forces for the Development of Benin, Union for the Development of Benin, Moele-Bénin and the Social-Liberal Union.[10]
