The Republic of Benin was formed in 1960 when the colony of French Dahomey gained independence from France. Prior to this, the area that is now the Republic of Benin was divided largely between two coastal kingdoms, Dahomey and Porto-Novo, and a large area of various tribes in the north. The French assembled these various groups together into the colony of French Dahomey, which was part of the various colonies of French West Africa from 1904 until 1960. In the independence era, the republic was extremely unstable for the first decade and a half of existence, with multiple governments and multiple military coups. In 1972, Mathieu Kérékou led a military coup deposing the Presidential Council and appointing himself as the head of state, a position he held until 1991 when the country returned to multiparty elections. Since that point, the state has held multiple presidential and legislative elections and a number of different parties have become important.
Elections in Benin take place within the framework of a multi-party democracy and a presidential system. Both the President and the National Assembly are directly elected by voters, with elections organised by the Autonomous National Electoral Commission (CENA).
The Democratic Renewal Party is a political party of Benin led by Adrien Houngbédji. Houngbédji lived in exile for several years, but returned to Benin to take part in the National Conference of 1990. He built up his party largely around other exiled Beninese. PRD was legally recognized on September 24, 1990.
The African Movement for Development and Progress is a political party in Benin. In the legislative elections held on 30 March 2003, the party was part of the Presidential Movement, the alliance of supporters of President Mathieu Kérékou, who had won the 2001 presidential election, and won nine out of 83 seats. The President of MADEP is Séfou Fagbohoun, a wealthy businessman.
The Rally for Democracy and Progress is a political party in Benin.
The Social Democratic Party is a political party in Benin.
The Union for Democracy and National Solidarity is an oppositional political party in Benin.
Adrien Houngbédji is a Beninese politician and the leader of the Democratic Renewal Party, one of Benin's main political parties. He was President of the National Assembly of Benin from 1991 to 1995, Prime Minister of Benin from 1996 to 1998, and President of the National Assembly again from 1999 to 2003. Beginning in 1991, he stood repeatedly as a presidential candidate; he placed second in 2006, but was heavily defeated by Yayi Boni in a second round of voting. Since 2015, he has served for a third time as President of the National Assembly.
The Hope Force is a political party of Benin led by Antoine Dayori. In the presidential election held on 5 March 2006, the party won 1.25% of the votes for its candidate, Antoine Dayori. In the parliamentary election held on 31 March 2007, the party won two out of 83 seats.
Parliamentary elections were held in Benin on 31 March 2007, having been delayed from an earlier date of 25 March due to organisational difficulties. Twenty-six political parties and 2,158 candidates contested the elections for the 83 seats in the National Assembly; there were 24 constituencies and 17,487 polling stations.
Restore the Hope is a political party of Benin. In the parliamentary election held on 31 March 2007, the party won one out of 83 seats.
The Cowry Forces for an Emerging Benin is a political party of Benin, formed by supporters of president Yayi Boni. In the parliamentary election held on 31 March 2007, the party won 35 out of 83 seats. The party expanded its plurality to 41 seats in the 2011 election that followed the contested reelection of Yayi Boni as president.
The Dahomeyan Democratic Union was a political party in French Dahomey.
The National Union for Solidarity and Progress was a political party in Benin led by Eustache Sarré.
The Alliance for Democracy and Progress was a political party in Benin.
The Democratic Party of Benin was a political party in Benin.
Parliamentary elections were held in Benin on 26 April 2015.
The Scout Alliance is a political alliance in Benin led by Edmond Agoua.
