Roundup: President Talon's election as landmark democratic changeover for Benin

Businessman Patrice Talon's election as president of Benin was a landmark achievement of democratic changeover for the West African country in 2016.

As independent candidate, Talon received support from a coalition of opposition forces and won in April, defeating his challenger, the Prime Minister Lionel Zinsou, candidate of the governing majority Cowry Forces for Emerging Benin (FCBE).

He stands as the 13th president of Benin since the country gained independence on Aug. 1, 1960 and the fourth democratically elected president of the ongoing democratic renewal since February 1990.

Upon taking office, the cotton tycoon and president announced his longing to break with old practices that brought the country to the brink of ruin.

AMBITIOUS REFORM PROGRAM

On December 22, Talon claimed before members of National Assembly to have inherited a highly indebted country with a high rate of poverty.

"The crushing primacy of the Executive body and cronyism as governance model had become a constant threat to democracy and freedom, following the violation of the constitutional balance of powers," he said.

Some months earlier, during his inauguration speech, he said that at the economic and social level, as well as in terms of individual liberties in Benin, "the overview has not been promising."

Talon believes there is an urgent need to carry out political reforms, revamp the economy, reconstitute the social fabric by regaining the trust of citizens and restoring the credibility of the State.

He launched a 14.4 billion U.S. dollars program covering the five-year period of 2016-2021 to give a long-term boost to the development of the West African country.

Entitled "Bénin Révélé", (Revealed Benin), it is an ambitious and visionary program with far-reaching reforms likely to create a new development dynamic.

"The program will yield many positive outcomes as actions to clean up the macroeconomic environment and maintain stability as well as structural transformation of our economy will be continued", he said.

It will help enhance the Human Development Index (HDI) of the country that was estimated to be 0.48 in 2015, reduce poverty rate that stands at 40.1 percent.

"Bénin Révélé" is expected to increase the investment rate on average from 18.8 percent to 34 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) during the five year period, peaking at 45 percent in 2019, and to enable reaching a minimum average growth rate of 6.5 percent.

PRELIMINARY ACTIONS

In the sensitive political context, Talon initiated development actions Benin needs.

These are, among other things, the suspension of about twenty decrees, signed by his predecessor, between February 11 and April 5, 2016, the removal of unnecessary budget-consuming institutions and reduction of ministerial portfolios.

For the successful democratic restoration, he has established about 10 commissions, including those in charge of political and institutional reforms, education system reform and a commission for the establishment of an agency for enhancing heritages and tourism development.

Of all these, the commission in charge of political and institutional reform attracted most attention.

The technical commission in charge of political and institutional reforms, chaired by justice minister Joseph Djogbenou, completed its task and submitted to the president a document of some 60 pages.

The report contains several proposals relating to the reform of the Constitutional Court with a single nine-year term of office for its members, and relating to the reform of the High Authority for Audiovisual and Communication (HAAC).

The commission suggested that the president of the Supreme Court no more be chosen by the president of the republic but elected by its peers and advocated the establishment of a Court of auditors.

It proposed a better regulation of political party financing and made several recommendations for the modernization and stabilization of the electoral code, including new prerogatives granted to the national autonomous commission for election.

"It is true these are reforms that I contemplate conducting jointly with the political class, the Parliament and my fellow citizens. I don't have the discretion to impose a reform even if I consider it relevant," Talon told media in August.

CHALLENGES FOR TALON REGIME

In Benin, most people wonder whether President Talon will succeed in enshrining all the reforms in the constitution by modifying the 1990 Constitution that has resisted all opportunistic and situational attempts of modification.

President Mathieu Kerekou, after he seized power following military putsch in October 1972 and ruled Benin until April 1991, has been democratically elected and completed two five-year term offices from 1996 to 2006.

By the end of the second term, he sought to alter the constitution for another term but encountered a fierce opposition of Benin people.

His successor Yayi Boni showed the same desire by the end of his second term and faced a vehement opposition from Benin people who are very proud of and strongly attached to the constitution the way it currently is.

"Benin people hold dearly the rules of the Republic. Even if at a given time they strongly believe in the abilities of an individual and applaud him, when he begins trampling the texts, everybody turns against him," said Jude Lodjou, lawyer by training and former member of Parliament. Endit