Benin voted for a new parliament on Sunday with opposition candidates authorised to stand in the legislative elections for the first time in four years under President Patrice Talon.
Sunday’s vote is a key test for the West African nation, where Talon’s supporters say he has ushered in political and economic development, while critics argue his mandate has eroded democracy.
The streets of Cotonou, the economic capital, were calm and all markets and shops were closed, AFP reporters said.
Polling stations opened at 7:00 am (0600 GMT) and closed at 4:00 pm (1500 GMT), according to the Autonomous National Electoral Commission.
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The last legislative elections in 2019 were marked by deadly violence, record abstention and a total shutdown of the internet rare events in Benin, once praised as a bastion of democracy in the region.
The opposition was unable to participate in the 2019 polls.
Due to a tightening of the voting rules, only two movements allied to the president were authorised to compete, bringing about a parliament entirely won by Talon’s supporters.
This time, seven political parties including three claiming to be in opposition were allowed to participate.
‘Everything is fine’
After voting in the morning in the city of Abomey, Defence Minister Fortunet Alain Nouatin called on the population to come out “massively” to vote, saying “all security measures” were in place.
Parties winning more than 10 percent of the vote will share out the 109 parliament seats, according to a proportional system. The results are expected within the next week.
“We are confident because we are from the presidential movement. Everything is fine,” said 22-year-old Hamdan Moussa, a representative of pro-government party the Republican Bloc (BR).
But turnout historically low in 2019 appeared slow on Sunday morning at polling stations visited by AFP in Cotonou and other areas.
A civil society electoral platform, which has mobilised more than 700 observers, also reported a low turnout in the morning.
“People no longer have too much hope, they are afraid of some trickery,” said Bawa Alimiyao, 40, in front of a primary school in Cotonou.
“This government disappointed me, we had hope. We are waiting for change and we need deputies representative of the people.”
Fadolo Enagnon, a 32-year-old voter in the southern town of Zagnanado, said many people struggled to find their voting booths and that the online verification website had crashed.
– Main opponents jailed –
A wealthy businessman, Talon was elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2021.
Most of his main opponents are either in prison or in exile.
