The Democrats (Benin)

The Democrats
Les Démocrates
AbbreviationLD
PresidentNourérou Atchadé
First Vice PresidentEric Houndété
FounderThomas Boni Yayi
FoundedJuly 2019[1]
Registered11 December 2020[1]
Split fromCowry Forces for an Emerging Benin
HeadquartersCotonou, Benin
IdeologySocial democracy[2][3][4]
Political positionLeft-wing
International affiliationProgressive Alliance
National Assembly
0 / 109
Senate
1 / 25

The Democrats (French: Les Démocrates, LD) is a political party in Benin founded by former president Thomas Boni Yayi. Ideologically, the party has been described as left-wing.[5] It is since 23 March 2026 led by Nourérou Atchadé.

History

The Democrats were founded by former president Thomas Boni Yayi in July 2019, and were registered to the Autonomous National Electoral Commission (ANEC) on 11 December 2020, although the party had no elected officials yet at the time.[1] Ahead of the 2023 Beninese parliamentary election, the party announced its intent to contest the election and called for "an inclusive, free, transparent and peaceful ballot."[a] The party also sought to involve the opposition at all levels of the electoral process.[6]

In the parliamentary election, the Democrats obtained 24.16% of the vote and 28 deputies, marking the return of the opposition to the National Assembly after four years of absence.[7] Eric Houndété, the then interim president of the Democrats, dismissed the results, declaring that "the Democratic Party rejects these results, which do not reflect the will of the people to make us the first political force in the country" and making claims of vote buying and ballot stuffing by the two main pro-government parties.[7]

The party lost all of its seats in the 2026 parliamentary election. It was unable to meet the electoral requirement of 20 percent of total votes in each of the 24 electoral districts. The party's national secretary, Guy Mitokpè, criticized the electoral system, calling it an "exclusionary electoral code" and that it "does not honor the country."[8] It also failed to nominate a presidential candidate because of party infighting as to be eligible to stand for president, a candidate must be sponsored by at least 28 MPs. However the CENA said one of them, Michel Sodjinou, had submitted an "invalid" sponsorship, leaving party candidate Renaud Agbodjo with just 27 backers.[9] Six of its then 28 MPs later defected to the ruling coalition before the elections, leaving the party with 22 sponsors, below the legal requirement to submit a candidate for the 2026 presidential election.[10]

The party again gained parliamentary representation in the senate as Yayi chose to take up his seat despite years of opposition to the creation of such institution when the senate was inaugurated on 29 July 2026.[11]

Ideology

The party is described as ideologically left-wing due to its positions on free education, the role of civil society, and free caesarean sections. During the 2021 Beninese presidential election, the Democrats' electoral program sought to invest massively in the Beninese economy in order to fight against poverty and unemployment among young people.[5]

Election results

Presidential elections

Year Candidate Running mate Votes % Position Outcome
2021 Corentin Kohoue Irénée Agossa 53,685 2.34 3rd Lost Red XN

Parliamentary elections

Year Leader Votes % Position Seats +/- Outcome
2023 Thomas Boni Yayi 598,560 24.16 3rd
28 / 109
 New Opposition
2026 451,820 16.20 Steady 3rd
0 / 109
 Decrease 28 Extra-parliamentary opposition

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Original: "réclament un scrutin inclusif, libre, transparent et apaisé."[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Bénin: reconnaissance officielle du parti d'opposition Les Démocrates" [Benin: official recognition of the opposition party Les Démocrates]. Radio France Internationale (in French). 12 December 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  2. ↑ Djogbénou, Edouard (21 October 2020). "Bénin: Eric Houndété et les démocrates, vent debout contre le parrainage". Bénin Web TV (in French). Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  3. ↑ "Les Démocrates : "Une alternative crédible pour conduire notre peuple ... " (E. Houndété)". La Nouvelle Tribune (in French). 23 October 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  4. ↑ https://africaelects.com/benin/
  5. 1 2 "Bénin: démocratie en péril" [Benin: democracy in peril]. Perspective Monde (in French). 9 March 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2022. Les Démocrates sont situés à gauche sur le plan idéologique. Les idées du parti sur la gratuité scolaire, la place de la société civile et la gratuité de la césarienne expliquent ce positionnement.
  6. 1 2 "Bénin: les Démocrates appellent à un scrutin législatif inclusif" [Benin: Democrats call for an inclusive legislative election]. Radio France Internationale (in French). 21 April 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  7. 1 2 "Au Bénin, le camp présidentiel remporte la majorité au Parlement" [In Benin, the presidential camp wins the majority in Parliament]. Le Temps (in French). 13 January 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  8. ↑ D., Soussouni (18 January 2026). "Législatives 2026 au Bénin : Le parti  » Les Démocrates » contestent les grandes tendances de la CENA". Bénin Web TV. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  9. ↑ "TRT Afrika - Benin opposition candidate excluded from presidential race". www.trtafrika.com. Retrieved 7 August 2026.
  10. ↑ "Continued voter disinterest undermines democratic governance in Benin". ISS Africa. Retrieved 7 August 2026.
  11. ↑ CA (23 July 2026). "Benin: Former President Boni Yayi joins newly created Senate after years of opposition". WADR. Retrieved 7 August 2026.


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