Squid News

Benin held an election for a new president on Sunday, with Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni a shoo-in after overseeing a decade of economic growth in the west African country despite jihadist attacks in the north. Nearly eight million voters are eligible to cast ballots to choose a successor to Patrice Talon, who is stepping down after two five-year terms and has endorsed Wadagni as his successor.

Turnout will be a crucial factor after a lacklustre campaign hit by voter apathy.”We must vote to ensure a high turnout,” said Yvan Glidja, a man in his 30s who turned up early at a school-turned-polling station in the commercial capital Cotonou to vote for Wadagni. Other stations visited by AFP were largely quiet Sunday morning. Whereas Wadagni cast his vote to little fanfare in his southwestern home town of Lokossa, crowds of clapping supporters greeted Talon as he arrived to do the same in Cotonou’s business district of Zongo. “The best is to come for Benin.

My wish is to see a great and powerful Benin in which everyone finds their place,” Talon said on emerging from the polling booth. He added he intended to “retire” and would not seek to “influence” his successor, but said that “it is illusory to think that one can fade into the background”.- ‘Disgruntled’ -Backed by the two main ruling parties, Wadagni is being challenged by Paul Hounkpe, an opposition figure whose campaign has been very low-key and who needed help from majority lawmakers to secure the required parliamentary endorsements to get on the ballot. Casting his ballot in the town of Bopa, where he once served as mayor, Hounkpe called on “all Beninese” to “fulfil their duty… to turn a page” in the country’s history.

The main opposition, The Democrats party is not fielding a candidate as its leader, Renaud Agbodjo, failed to secure the required number of parliamentary endorsements needed to contest the vote.”Usually there are lots of people voting here, but this time voters are only trickling in. The strong opposition is not represented,” lamented Aubert Santanna, a retiree who came to perform his civic duty.

The ruling majority blames The Democrats’ exclusion on internal divisions. Several senior figures in the party joined Wadagni’s campaign.”The disgruntled haven’t disappeared. Tensions and frustration remain high; their electoral hopes have been slaughtered,” said political analyst Rufin Godjo, speaking of voters. The European Union, the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have all sent substantial teams of poll monitors. – Golden decade -Benin’s next elections will only take place in 2033, as a constitutional reform passed last year has extended the presidential term from five to seven years and synchronised all elections to take place then. A key question for many is the next president’s approach to civil liberties after the authoritarian turn taken by Talon, with many opponents handed heavy sentences for various crimes.

The country has seen burgeoning growth during the Talon decade: GDP has doubled, growth has surpassed six percent each year, tourism has expanded and numerous infrastructure projects have been completed. As the architect of this development from his 10 years at the finance ministry, Wadagni embodies continuity. But major challenges remain, including a huge wealth gap.”We expect the future president to do even better than his predecessor.

After infrastructure, he must now focus on social issues,” said voter Rahim Oke. The poverty rate is estimated at more than 30 percent with many Beninese complaining that the benefits of growth, much dependent on delivering security, have not reached them. Benin’s north is plagued by increasingly deadly jihadist violence spilling over from the insecurity-ridden Sahel region. If elected, Wadagni is expected to be able to count on the loyalty of the army, which played a decisive role in repelling an attempted coup against Talon in December. 

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 15:56:34 GMT