Waiting for the 12 February at the National Assembly : here are the 5 former presidents

The 12 February 2023, Benin's parliament will have a new office. In the meantime, we offer you the point of the various presidents who have led the National Assembly since April 1. 1991, date of taking office of the very first holder of the position, Adrien Houngbedji.

The Beninese parliament will be in its 9th legislature in February 2023. More, only five (05) personalities have had the privilege of leading the institution. The very first to fill the function in history is Adrien Houngbédji. The emblematic president of the Democratic Renewal Party (FART), a party that merged into 2022 with the Progressive Union to give UP the Renewal. Installed April 1 1991, Me Houngbédji put down the apron on 31 mars 1995. His succession was ensured by another big name on the Beninese political scene., Bruno Amoussou.

The Djakotomè fox took over one 04 avril 1995 to pass it on 19 avril 1999 again to his predecessor Adrien Houngbédji. The latter reinstalls the 20 avril 1999. After a second term of four years, he gives up the chair on 19 avril 2003. It will be the turn of Antoine Idji Kolawolé to put on the costume of the President of the National Assembly on 22 avril 2003 before hanging up 02 avril 2007. Former President Thomas Boni Yayi just moved to the Marina Palace a year ago (avril 2006). Parliament will see one of its loyal supporters sit at the perch of the Governors Palace in Porto Novo. Mathurin Nago takes the reins of the National Assembly. Enjoying the good graces of the regime of change, it is back for a new four-year lease in May 2015. The strong man of Bopa remains the only one for the time being to cumulate two successive mandates in the skin of president of the National Assembly of Benin. Even Adrien Houngbedji, first president of the National Assembly who led the institution three times did not have the privilege of succeeding himself as president. The Patriarch of the Palace of Adjinan controlled the parliament in three stages, the last of which dates back to May 2015 you never 2019. At the end of the first elections following the new electoral reforms aimed at cleaning up the Beninese political landscape, Louis Vlavonou is carried to the pinnacle by his peers. The 12 February 2023, the question that arises is : will he succeed himself as Mathurin Nago had succeeded in 2011 ?

The National Assembly is headed by a president elected by the members and assisted by a bureau. It should be remembered that following the legislative elections of 08 January 2023, three political parties were able to reach the threshold of 10 percent at the national level in order to raise seats. Thus the parties Progressive Union the Renewal (UPR), Republican Bloc (BR) and the Democrats (LD) will be represented with respectively 53, 28 and 28 deputies each. BR and UPR support government actions while LD, minority is from the opposition to the power in place.

 Arnaud ACAKPO (Coll)