Benin’s Seven-Year Presidency: Reform or Power Play?
Benin’s lawmakers have triggered a political tremor across West Africa after approving a constitutional amendment that stretches the presidential term from five years to seven, a change arriving barely months before voters head to the polls in April 2026. While the two-term limit remains intact, the timing of this reform has sharpened suspicion rather than celebration. Supporters of the amendment insist a longer mandate will offer stability and allow governments to pursue long-term development plans without the pressure of constant electoral cycles. On paper, it sounds like a statesmanlike attempt to strengthen governance. Yet beneath the surface is a country wrestling with deeper questions about power, succession, and political continuity. President Patrice Talon, who promised to serve only two terms and is set to exit office next year, will not personally benefit. That has been presented as evidence of his neutrality and commitment to democratic norms. Even so, the reform lands at a moment when his preferred successor, Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, is quietly consolidating influence. For many, that connection is difficult to ignore. The amendment does more than alter the clock. It also introduces a new Senate, an upper chamber with members that include presidential appointees and ex officio statesmen. Critics warn that it risks giving the executive branch yet another lever of control, even as it is sold as a measure to deepen institutional oversight. Benin was once hailed as a model of democratic transition in West Africa, but observers say its political landscape has grown increasingly narrow in recent years. Opposition figures remain sidelined and accusations of shrinking civic space have gained traction. Against this backdrop, the sudden shift to a longer presidential term feels less like an administrative adjustment and more like a rehearsal in power reengineering. The core questions linger in the air like unwritten footnotes. Will a seven-year term produce steadier leadership or merely entrench the ruling elite? Is the constitution being improved or manipulated? The next election may not simply test candidates. It will test the durability of Benin’s democratic reputation and the extent to which its political class is willing to place country above convenience. That tension will frame every debate in the weeks and months ahead, and the real verdict will come not from parliament, but from the people who must now choose what kind of republic they wish to preserve.
| 2025-11-16 10:53:02