Benin
National Assembly
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Political system
Political systems: Presidential, Parliamentary, Presidential-Parliamentary, Monarchy, Communist, Transitional.
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Presidential system
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Structure of parliament
Structure of parliament: Unicameral, bicameral
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Unicameral
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IPU membership
Current membership status
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Yes
Election results
Data on parliamentary elections, including the background, candidates, voter turnout, results and the formation of the new legislature. By default the latest election results are displayed. Select a date to view results from previous elections.
Background
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Election date(s)
The date when elections started and ended for directly or indirectly elected parliaments/chambers. The date of appointments for appointed parliaments/chambers.
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08 Jan 2023
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Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature
Date at which the previous legislature (elected at the previous elections) was dissolved.
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11 Feb 2023
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Timing of election
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry; Early elections; Delayed elections
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Upon normal expiry
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Expected date of next elections
The expected date at which the next elections should take place, based on law or practice.
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11 Jan 2026
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Number of seats at stake
Number of seats contested at the elections. Where the parliament/chamber is fully renewed, this number is usually identical to the statutory number of members. Where the parliament/chamber is partially renewed or appointed, the number of seats at stake is usually less than the total number of members.
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109
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Scope of elections
Scope of elections: Full renewal; Partial renewal.
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Full renewal
Candidates
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Number of parties contesting the election
This field may include either the number of parties contesting the election, or the number of coalitions/electoral alliance.
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7
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Total number of candidates
Total number of people who registered as candidates for election. Does not include people who stood as candidates to become "substitute members".
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763
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Number of male candidates
Number of male candidates
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562
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Number of female candidates
Number of female candidates
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201
Notes: The figures above refer to the titular candidates. There were 228 women out of 763 substitute candidates.
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Percentage of women candidates
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women candidates by the total number of candidates.
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26.3%
Voter turnout
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Registered voters
Number of people registered to vote
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6,769,817
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Voters
Number of people who actually voted
View field in the data dictionary -
2,558,446
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Voter turnout
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of people who actually voted by the number of people registered to vote
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37.8%
Results
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About the election
Short description of the context and results of the election.
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The two pro-presidential parties in the outgoing legislature – the Progressive Union for Renewal, and the Republican Block (BR) – won a total of 81 seats in the 109-member National Assembly. Unlike the previous elections in 2019 (see note), seven parties, including three allied to the opposition, were allowed to participate in the 2023 elections. One of the opposition parties, the Democrats (founded in 2020 by former president, Thomas Boni Yayi) took the remaining 28 seats in the new legislature. The leader of the Democrats, Mr. Eric Houndété, rejected the preliminary results, alleging fraud. Four other parties failed to pass the 10% threshold. On 23 January, the Constitutional Court validated the election results.
The 2023 elections were the first to be held under the 2019 Electoral Code. The statutory number of seats has increased from 83 to 109, of which 24 are reserved exclusively for women (article 144). The percentage of women increased from 7.23% in 2019 (6 women out of 83 members) to 25.69% in 2023 (28 women out of 109 members). National Assembly members serve a five-year term, instead of four as previously. Their five-year term is renewable twice (article 80). However, to organize general elections in 2026, members elected in 2023 will serve a three-year term, which will expire on the date when deputies elected in January 2026 enter into office (article 208). The parliamentarians who had already served three terms were allowed to contest the 2023 elections. The 2023–2026 legislature will be counted as one parliamentary term under article 80 of the 2019 Electoral Code.
Note:
The opposition was unable to participate in the 2019 elections due to a tightening of the voting rules. Former Presidents Yayi and Nicéphore Soglo called for an election boycott in 2019.
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Percentage of seats won by largest party or coalition
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of seats won by the largest party by the number of seats at stake in the election.
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48.6%
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Alternation of power after elections
The results of the elections caused a change in the government. "Not applicable" to countries using the presidential system when parliamentary and presidential elections are held separately, to countries in political transition or where there is no party system.
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No
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Names of parties in government
The government may be formed by one or more political parties
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N/A: The composition of the government does not necessarily take account of the political parties in parliament.
Parties or coalitions winning seats
Political group | Total |
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Progressive Union for Renewal | 53 |
Republican Block (BR) | 28 |
Democrats | 28 |
Members elected, by sex
- Number of men elected
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81
- Number of women elected
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28
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Percentage of women elected
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women elected by the number of seats filled.
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25.7%
- Women Directly Elected
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28
- Other notes on the elections
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Note on the expected date of next elections:
Parliamentary elections are held on the second Sunday of January in election years (every five years) in accordance with article 7 of the 2019 Electoral Code.
In accordance with article 80 of the 2019 law that amended the Constitution, National Assembly members serve a five-year term instead of four, as previously. However, to organize general elections in 2026, members elected in 2023 will serve a three-year term. Their term will expire on the date when the deputies elected in January 2026 enter into office (see article 208 of the 2019 Electoral Code).
Note on date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature:
The date (11 February 2023) refers to the end of the mandate of the deputies elected in 2019. Parliament was not dissolved but rather renewed.
Note on the date of the first session of the new parliament:
In accordance with article 147 of the 2019 Electoral Code, each newly elected National Assembly will be convened on the second Sunday of February in every election year.
- Sources
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National Assembly (13.01.2023, 19.04.2023, 20.04.2023)
Proclamation des résultats des élections législatives du 08 janvier 2023, La Cour constitutionnelle
https://www.facebook.com/CourconstitutionnelleduBenin
BBC Monitoring
https://cdn.accf-francophonie.org/2019/03/benin-constitution-1990.pdf
New legislature
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Total number of men after the election
The total number of male parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
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81
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Total number of women after the election
The total number of female parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
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28
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Percentage of women after the election
The percentage is calculated by dividing the total number of women in this parliament/chamber by the current number of members.
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25.7%
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First-term parliamentarians
The number of members who are assuming their parliamentary mandate for the first time following the election or renewal, regardless of their mode of designation.
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69
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Percentage of first-term parliamentarians
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of first-term parliamentarians by the number of seats at stake in the election.
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63.3%
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Date of the first session
The date when the newly elected parliament/chamber was convened for the first time. It may be different from the date when members were sworn in.
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12 Feb 2023
First Speaker of the new legislature
- Personal details for the first Speaker of the new legislature
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Gbèhounou Louis Vlavonou (Male)
Date of birth: 1953 -
Political party
The political party to which the Speaker belonged to at the moment of the election. In some parliaments, the Speaker suspends or relinquishes their party membership during their term in office and is considered as an independent member.
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Progressive Union for Renewal
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Date of election
The date of the election of the Speaker may be different from the date of the first session of the new legislature.
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12 Feb 2023