Benin went to the polls on Sunday 12 April 2026 against an unprecedented institutional backdrop. Nearly 7.9 million voters were called to the polls at 17,462 polling stations. This election marks the start of the general election cycle and the seven-year presidential term. It is a decisive moment for gauging the country’s democratic vitality.
On Sunday, April 12, 2026, nearly 7.9 million voters in the country, including 62,679 from the diaspora voting across 112 polling stations abroad, were called to the polls. This marked the first time the nation conducted combined general elections alongside a seven-year presidential term, a result of recent institutional reforms. The voting took place across 17,462 polling stations. In Cotonou, polling centers opened in a generally calm atmosphere, and President Patrice Talon fulfilled his civic duty at his designated polling station under the scrutiny of observers.
Whatever the outcome of the vote, we will all be certain that Benin has reached a new milestone in its history. And that is what people expect from their leaders: to guide the community to progress in all areas, including the most delicate and controversial ones. So, my feeling of satisfaction, what I take away from the past few days, is that I leave office with the sense of having given my very best and of having helped the country take a few steps forward in all areas.
Patrice Talon, President of the Republic
The race for President and Vice-President of the Republic features two main tickets. Romuald Wadagni, representing the presidential majority, and Paul Hounkpè, aligned with the constructive opposition, are vying for the top office. Both candidates cast their votes, Wadagni in Lokossa and Hounkpè in Lobogo, concluding a campaign dominated by discussions around the continuity of reforms and their ultimate impact.
Information reached us yesterday, and we believe that the United Nations has not gone all the way. The vote, the choice of each citizen, each compatriot, must be respected to the letter, and people must be allowed to choose the President of the Republic. There must be no buying of votes and, above all, no voting on behalf of others. In the end, we must all respect the choice expressed at the ballot box.
Rock Judicaël Hounwanou, Paul Hounkpè’s running mate
The 2026 presidential election occurs amid a reconfigured political landscape stemming from the 2019 crisis. This crisis saw the exclusion of key opposition figures, including Thomas Boni Yayi’s main opposition party. The party’s invalidation for the 2026 general elections and Yayi’s resignation weakened it, causing defections to the ruling majority’s « Pacte républicain. » New institutions, like the Senate, further reshape the political balance.
