Lawmakers in Benin’s national assembly cast their votes to amend constitutional term
Lawmakers in Benin Republic approved a constitutional amendment on Friday, extending the presidential term to seven years.
In an overwhelming 90-19 vote, the new amendment sets the presidential term at seven years, renewable only once, according to a statement issued Saturday by the national assembly.
“From now on, and in accordance with amended Article 42, the President of the Republic is elected by direct universal suffrage for a term of 07 years renewable only once,” the statement reads.
“No one can, in his lifetime, exercise more than two terms of President of the Republic.”
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The seven-year term extension was also granted to mayors and municipal councillors.
The amendments come ahead of the 2026 presidential elections in the French-speaking West African nation.
President Patrice Talon who has been in office since 2016 is currently serving his second term.
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Talon has publicly stated that he will not seek a third term.
Though Benin, located south of the Sahel, has been relatively democratically stable compared to its neighbours in the geographical region, prosecutors said they foiled a suspected coup attempt last September.
Oswald Homeky, a former sports minister, was said to be caught handing over six bags of cash containing 1.5 billion West African CFA francs (about $2.5 million) to Djimon Tevoedjre, commander of the republican guard and head of Talon’s security.
Olivier Boko, businessman and Talon’s longtime friend, was reportedly in on the plot, according to prosecutors.
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At the time, Boko had recently started making known his plans to run for the presidency in 2026.
The businessman was arrested in Cotonou, Benin’s economic capital.
