Beninese Legislative Elections, 2019

The 2019 Beninese legislative election elected all 83 seats in the legislature (national assembly).

Due to the higher electoral threshold, several new parties and blocs were formed prior to the elections. The Progressive Union was formed by a merger of over 20 parties and alliances, including Union Makes the Nation, the Benin Rebirth Party, the Social Democratic Party, Key Force, the Congress of People for Progress, the United Democratic Forces, the Union for Relief, the Union for Democracy and National Solidarity, the Scout Alliance and the Union for Benin. Although it was announced on 16 January 2019 that the opposition would form a single bloc to participate in the elections, only two blocs were registered to contest the elections – the Republican Bloc and the Progressive Union, both of which were linked to President Patrice Talon.

Protests against the new electoral law were banned, with protesters defying the ban arrested. Former presidents Nicéphore Soglo and Thomas Boni Yayi both spoke at a protest event in Cotonou, at which police used tear gas.

Source: Wikipedia - 2019 Beninese Parliamentary Election