Life of political parties in Benin : The Democrats and the famous receipt

While the Democrats party eagerly awaited the ministry's response to its request for official recognition, it is rather a request for additional information that he received this 22 September. Among other reasons for non-issuance of the receipt attesting to the conformity of this formation with the charter of the parties, the Ministry of the Interior points out that 13 founding members would not have resigned from their previous party and that the minutes of the Constitutive General Assembly of the party would be false.

Pierre MATCHOUDO

The stakes surrounding this file are so important as to justify the suspense.. national party, ‘The Democrats’ risk upsetting the current political balance, and therefore the outcome of the April presidential election 2021 if they were to obtain their receipt and, afterwards, the discharge to present a candidate in this election. Composed of former deputies, former ministers and municipal elected officials, this party is formed around the former head of state Yayi Boni who continues to be popular with a good part of the population.

‘The Democrats’ are therefore a major competitor in terms of their ability to mobilize voters. They are first for the current occupant of the Palace of the Republic, a former ally who had trouble with his predecessor. Grant the receipt to this party, it is therefore to accept to play a game of poker with an uncertain outcome, especially since, if on the issue of infrastructure, the Rupture regime is seducing in cities thanks to the asphalting of streets, however, there are still many areas of dissatisfaction among voters. Among these, the social question, families who have seen their members either imprisoned or exiled and the fear of losing their jobs felt even by permanent state agents.

The Democrats, a threat to FCBEs

‘The Democrats’ are also a threat to their own former FCBE comrades, whose party, they resigned to reconstitute themselves into a new political formation. Only opposition party to have won elected officials in the last municipal elections, FCBEs currently represent the only official alternative. Arguing for this thanks to the handful of conquered town halls, Paul Hounkpê, first leader of this party, already sees himself as leader of the opposition with all the advantages associated with this status. President Talon recently signed a decree making party financing effective for the sum of 1,5 billion CFA francs. Political parties that have achieved a certain performance in the last elections will benefit from this windfall., i.e. three including the FCBE as an opposition party. The FCBEs would therefore not welcome the arrival of a new player who would upset the current balance.

Sponsorship, the difficult equation for the Democrats

At any rate, 'Democrats' hard at work to meet Home Office demands. But even if the outcome is favorable to them and they get the famous sesame, they will still have a long way to go to reach their goal, that of presenting their own candidate for the presidential election. According to the electoral code, they will need the sponsorship of at least 16 elected, deputies or mayors, to contest this election. Which seems impossible since they did not take part in any election. Eric Houndété, the president of this new party, is convinced that this measure will be lifted to promote an inclusive election. A certainty undermined by some parliamentarians who insist that the question of sponsorship will not be reviewed before the next presidential election. The near future therefore remains bleak for this new player in the Beninese political arena.. The option he has left, after obtaining official recognition, is undoubtedly to negotiate with individuals among the 77 mayors and 83 deputies while hoping that at least 16 dare to defy the slogan of their party