Benin’s ruling alliance secured full control of the National Assembly after provisional results from legislative elections showed that opposition parties failed to win a single seat.
The electoral commission announced that only two parties aligned with President Patrice Talon crossed the eligibility threshold in the January 11 vote.
The Progressive Union for Renewal won 60 seats, while the Republican Bloc secured 49, giving the presidential camp all 109 seats in parliament.
The outcome consolidates the ruling bloc’s position ahead of the April presidential election, in which Talon is constitutionally barred from running again.
Under Benin’s revised electoral code, parties must secure at least 20 percent of the national vote and 20 percent in each of the country’s 24 electoral districts to gain parliamentary representation.
The main opposition party, The Democrats, received about 16 percent of the vote, falling short of the required threshold.
As a result, the party will not be represented in the assembly, extending its exclusion from recent municipal elections held alongside the legislative polls.
“These results confirm the struggle that [The Democrats] party has been waging for about two years,” said Guy Mitokpe, the party’s spokesperson.
He said the party had warned that the electoral framework favored groups aligned with the president and limited opposition participation.
The vote took place weeks after a short-lived and deadly coup attempt on December 7 that authorities said was quickly foiled.
Turnout stood at 36.7 percent, roughly matching participation levels in the previous legislative elections.
The provisional results must still be validated by the Constitutional Court.
With Talon set to leave office after a decade in power, Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, a close ally, is widely seen as the leading contender to succeed him.
The Democrats have also been barred from the presidential race after failing to secure the required endorsements.