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Benin will vote for a new parliament on April 28, but a country that was once considered a model of democracy in Africa is currently facing a worrying political crisis.
Voters in the small state of West Africa will have only one choice of MPs: for the first time in three decades, the opposition will not participate.
Election watchdogs decided last month that only two parties, allied with President Patrice Talon, met the increased eligibility requirements under the new election laws.
Their decision effectively prevented the entire political opposition from nominating candidates.
"This is the first time that opposition parties will not be participating in the general election since the return of the democratic era in 1991," said Steve Kpoton, a lawyer and political badyst.
Prior to 1991, Benin had experienced decades of authoritarian rule. The transition to democracy has led to flourishing political competition: five years ago, voters could choose from 20 parties for the 83 seats in Parliament.
New election rules
But this year the legislators of the ruling party have adopted a new electoral code.
According to Talon, the amendment of the electoral code will simplify the complex political mosaic of Benin. By Etienne LAURENT (POOL / AFP)
Critics say the rules were too strict and bureaucratic, and the opposition parties failed to meet all the administrative requirements in time.
Eric Houndete, deputy speaker of the parliament and leader of an opposition coalition, warned against the anger of public opinion.
"Benin will not allow the appointment of 83 deputies of the head of state in Parliament," he said.
Public demonstrations have been dispersed by security forces.
Talon, elected in 2016, presents himself as a reformer and a modernist.
He defended the electoral code, saying it would bring together the many political parties into simpler blocks.
"There are more than 250 political parties … Each of these new parties includes dozens of political movements," said Talon this month.
A protestor at a rally last month waved a placard stating, "Talon, let the exiled citizens come back to rebuild the country." By Yanick Folly (AFP)
Instead, he said he wanted the parties to merge into a third and a fourth coalition to counterbalance the two main parties – both of which supported him – in Parliament.
"I'm pragmatic, I'm realistic," said Talon. "I am someone who advances despite the difficulties."
But Talon, a 60-year-old former millionaire businessman who has earned his living in cotton and ports, has also been repeatedly accused of authoritarianism since coming to power.
& # 39; Attack against democracy & # 39;
Civil society groups say the new electoral code is a "democratic retreat".
"An election can only be democratic if it brings into competition political forces in favor of power and political forces opposed to power," said the civil society coalition Social Watch Benin.
Former presidential candidate Sebastien Ajavon. By BERTRAND GUAY (AFP)
The coalition, along with other groups, suspended its role in the electoral process, including not deploying observers.
"Civil society can not tolerate this serious attack on democracy," said Hubert Acakpo, head of the surveillance group called SOS Credible Elections.
Kpoton, the badyst, warned that the vote would create an "exclusively" parliament under the power of the president and able to change the country's constitution.
Others fear that this is exactly the purpose of the president.
"Talon's plan is to revise the constitution as it sees fit," said Corneille Nonhemi, a young activist who wanted to run for membership in the Social Liberal Union (USL).
The USL party is led by Sebastien Ajavon, a wealthy businessman who ran against Talon in the 2016 presidential elections.
Ajavon sought asylum in France after being sentenced last year by a special court to a twenty – year prison sentence for drug crimes. It is a trial that his legal team has denounced as a sham and politically motivated.
Talon offered words of comfort to those who could not vote, saying elections were not everything.
"Life does not stop there," said the president.
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