Bénin’s constitutional overhaul: significant reforms adopted amidst political landscape shifts
A sweeping constitutional revision was enacted in Bénin on November 1st, following an accelerated parliamentary procedure. This significant legal overhaul introduces a new electoral mechanism: the presidential ticket. Under this system, the President of the Republic and a Vice-President will now be elected concurrently, requiring an absolute majority of votes over two rounds of voting.
Beyond electoral changes, the revised constitution brings forth several other crucial provisions. It formally abolishes the death penalty, establishes the Court of Accounts as a new judicial body, and enshrines the principle of affirmative action to promote women’s representation in elections.
The terms for parliamentary deputies are now subject to a strict limit of three mandates. Furthermore, a novel provision allows deputies who, for various reasons, had their seats temporarily filled by substitutes, to reclaim their positions.
The existing two-consecutive-term limit for the President of the Republic, a cornerstone of the 1990 Constitution, has been significantly strengthened. The new text stipulates that no individual may serve more than two presidential mandates throughout their lifetime, making the cumulative limit more stringent than before.
