2016 Beninese presidential election

Election of Patrice Talon 2016 Beninese presidential election Benin presidential 2011 Beninese presidential election 2011 2021 Beninese presidential election 2021 6 March 2016 (first round)20 March 2016 (second round) Patrice_Talon_at_the_52nd_African_Development_Bank_Annual_Meeting_in_Gandhinagar_(Cropped).jpg Patrice Talon Independent politician 2,030,941 65.37% Lionel Zinsou 2017.jpg Lionel Zinsou Cowry Forces for an Emerging Benin 1,076,061 34.63% President Yayi Boni Cowry Forces for an Emerging Benin Patrice Talon Independent politician Presidential elections were held in Benin on 6 March 2016, having been delayed by one week due to logistical constraints.2016-02-12 Bénin: présidentielle reportée au 6 mars http://www.bbc.com/afrique/region/2016/02/160212_benin fr BBC Incumbent president Thomas Boni Yayi was at the end of his second presidential term and was constitutionally barred from running for a third. The elections grabbed the interest of many of the country's top businessmen, resulting in over 30 candidates trying to run for the presidency. http://www.africanews.com/2016/02/11/benin-s-campaign-trail-gets-busier-ahead-of-polls/ Benin’s campaign trail gets busier ahead of polls Africa News 11 February 2016 2016-02-25 A second round was held on 20 March, https://www.voanews.com/a/record-33-candidates-vying-for-benin-presidency/3217961.html Record 33 Candidates Vying for Benin Presidency VOA 2016-03-05 in which businessman Patrice Talon defeated Prime Minister Lionel Zinsou. Background During 2015 and 2016 the leaders of some African countries undertook efforts to remain in power after decades of rule; a referendum in Rwanda resulted in Paul Kagame being allowed to remain in power, there was unrest in Burundi over President Pierre Nkurunziza's plans to run for a third term, whilst the long-term presidents of Uganda and the Republic of the Congo ran for office again. However, in West Africa, the long-term president of Burkina Faso was removed from office and Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan left office after losing an election.Motorcycle Riders at Forefront of Benin's Election Campaign Bloomberg News, 3 March 2016 The body charged with producing the new voter cards failed to live up to their deadlines of distributing cards. http://www.africanews.com/2016/02/05/benin-delays-in-voter-cards-distribution/ Benin delays in voter cards distribution ahead of February 28 polls Africa News 5 February 2016 2016-02-25 This caused the Constitutional Court to first delay the elections by a week, and then make the ruling that old voter cards issued prior to the 2011 elections would also be accepted as the court feared that voters might be disenfranchised. Campaign Campaigning was only permitted for a 15-day period directly before the elections. The Constitutional Court sanctioned a campaign period from 19 February to 4 March 2016. http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/article_xinhua.aspx?id=320583 Benin's presidential election campaign to start Friday 18 February 2016 25 February 2016 Shanghai Daily Candidates The Résoatao Party selected its candidate via party primaries held on 7 November 2015; its leader and sole MP Mohamed Atao Hinnouho was chosen with 141 votes, with the president of the party's women's branch Eliane Saizonou receiving 14 votes and the party's first councillor Félix Tohoyessou eight."Elections primaires du Parti RésoAtao" https://web.archive.org/web/20160304063139/http://www.actubenin.com/?Elections-primaires-du-Parti-ResoAtao-l-honorable-Mohamed-Atao-Hinnouho-designe 2016-03-04 , Actu Benin Prime Minister Lionel Zinsou announced on 1 December 2015 that he would stand as the candidate of the Cowry Forces for an Emerging Benin, the party of President Yayi Boni, in the 2016 presidential election. He said that he would focus on financing agriculture and helping informal workers obtain formal employment."Benin PM Zinsou confirms to run for president in 2016 polls", Reuters, 2 December 2015. Zinsou's French background attracted some criticism. At a meeting of a grouping of Zinsou's opponents held on 5 January 2016, a trade union leader denounced Zinsou as "a colonizer" who was "parachuted in ... to safeguard the economic crimes of Boni Yayi". The government defended Zinsou, stressing that he was "a full citizen of Benin" and that arguing that his opponents were appealing to "base instincts of hatred, racism, fear and intolerance."Allegresse Sasse, "Benin politicians attack president's favored successor", Reuters, 5 January 2016. The Democratic Renewal Party, the third party in parliament led by Adrien Houngbédji, announced on 30 January 2016 that it would support Lionel Zinsou.Allegresse Sasse, "Benin prime minister gets opposition support for presidential election", Reuters, 30 January 2016. Independent candidates included the businessmen Patrice Talon and Sebastien Adjavon. The Autonomous National Electoral Commission (CENA) announced on 13 January 2016 that 48 people had filed the necessary paperwork to stand as presidential candidates, although their candidacies still needed to be approved by the Constitutional Court."Record 48 candidates seek Benin presidency", Agence France-Presse, 13 January 2016. Each candidate had to submit health certificates that prove a clean bill of health and deposit a filing fee of an equivalent $25,000. The court cleared 36 candidates and dropped 11 candidates for not providing sufficient evidence for various standard requirements. Three further candidates dropped from the race prior to the allocated campaigning period. Benin: Presidential election campaign begins http://www.graphic.com.gh/international/africa/58801-benin-presidential-election-campaign-begins.html Accra, Ghana Daily Graphic 2016-02-24 Kwamena Nyamekye Results Provisional results released on 8 March 2016 showed Lionel Zinsou placing first with 28.4% of the vote. Patrice Talon placed second with 24.8% and Sebastien Ajavon placed third with 23.03%. Zinsou was therefore expected to face Talon in a second round of voting."Benin PM Zinsou faces run-off in presidential election", Reuters, 8 March 2016. For the second round, Talon received the support of 24 out of 32 of the defeated first round candidates. Most notably, he received the backing of Ajavon. The second round was held on 20 March 2016. Saying that the results "point to a decisive victory for Patrice Talon", Zinsou quickly conceded defeat and congratulated Talon."PM Zinsou concedes defeat to Talon in Benin president vote", Agence France-Presse, 20 March 2016. The Constitutional Court validated the results on 25 March."Newly-elected Benin president aims to reduce presidential terms", Reuters, 26 March 2016. Lionel Zinsou Cowry Forces for an Emerging Benin 858080 1076061 Patrice Talon Independent 746528 2030941 Sébastien Ajavon fr Independent 693084 Abdoulaye Bio-Tchané Alliance for a Triumphant Benin 262389 Pascal Koupaki New Consciousness Rally 177251 Robert Gbian fr Generations for Republican Governance 46634 Fernand Amoussou fr Alliance of Forces of the Future 35390 Issa Salifou Union for Relief 30855 Aké Natonde Path of Benin 26501 Nassirou Bako Arifari Amana Alliance 19012 Mohamed Atao Hinnouho Résoatao Party 12441 Saliou Youssao Aboudou 12215 Bertin Koovi Iroko Alliance 11292 Richard Senou 8123 Karimou Chabi Sika Independent 7351 Zul-Kifl Salami National Party of Congress 6782 Elisabeth Agbossaga Union for Development and Reform 5802 Issifou Kogui N'douro Independent 5130 Zacharie Cyriaque Goudali 6 May Movement 4998 Kamarou Fassassi Independent 4820 Gabriel Ayivi Adjavon 4371 Marcel de Souza Republican Front of Benin 4247 Azizou El-Hadj Issa Independent 4143 Omer Rustique Guezo 3999 Jean-Alexandre Hountondji New March 3893 Daniel Edah Movement for Prosperity and Solidarity 3694 Marie-Elise Gbèdo 3597 Christian Enock Lagnide 3391 Issa Badarou Soule 3380 Simon Pierre Adovelande Independent 2858 Moudjaidou Soumanou Issoufou 2648 Gatien Houngbedji Union for Economic and Social Development 2287 Kessile Tchala Sare 1272 116530 31622 4746348 4746348 Constitutional Court (first round, second round) Aftermath Speaking on the same day that the Constitutional Court confirmed the results, Talon said that he would "first and foremost tackle constitutional reform", discussing his plan to limit presidents to a single term of five years in order to combat "complacency". He also said that he planned to slash the size of the government from 28 to 16 members. He was sworn in on 6 April 2016,"Businessman sworn in as Benin's president", Reuters, 6 April 2016. and the composition of his government was announced later in the day. There was no prime minister, and two defeated presidential candidates who had backed Talon in the second round, Pascal Koupaki and Abdoulaye Bio-Tchane, were appointed to key posts: Koupaki as Secretary-General of the Presidency and Bio-Tchane as Minister of State for Planning and Development.Vincent Duhem, "Bénin : Patrice Talon nomme un gouvernement sans Premier ministre", Jeune Afrique, 6 April 2016 fr. References Category:Presidential elections in Benin Benin Presidential Benin