The Republic of Benin is a presidential democratic republic. The current political system is derived from the 1990 Constitution of Benin and the subsequent transition to democracy in 1991. Democracy is a form of government under which the power to alter the laws and structures of government lies, ultimately, with the citizenry. ... Jump to: navigation, search For the Temptations album, see 1990 (Temptations album) MCMXC redirects here; for the Enigma album, see MCMXC a. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1991 (MCMXCI) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Development of political system

From the 17th century till the colonial period, the Kingdom of Dahomey (whose borders encompassed more than present day Benin) was ruled by an "Oba". The French were the colonial power from 1892 till 1960, when independence was finally achieved. Between 1960 and 1972, a succession of military coups in Benin (known until 1975 as the Republic of Dahomey) brought about many changes of government. The last of these brought to power Major Mathieu Kérékou as the head of a regime professing strict Marxist-Leninist principles. The Revolutionary Party of the People of Benin (PRPB) remained in complete power until the beginning of the 1990s. Kérékou, encouraged by France and other democratic powers, convened a National Conference that introduced a new democratic constitution and held presidential and legislative elections. Kérékou's principal opponent at the presidential poll, and the ultimate victor, was Prime Minister Nicéphore Soglo. Supporters of Soglo also secured a majority in the National Assembly. (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Jump to: navigation, search Dahomey was an African kingdom situated in what is now Benin. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1892 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1960 was a leap year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1975 was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... (Ahmed) Mathieu Kérékou (born September 2, 1933) is the president of Benin. ... Marxism is the political practice and social theory based on the works of Karl Marx, a 19th century philosopher, economist, journalist, and revolutionary, along with Friedrich Engels. ... Vladimir Lenin in 1920 Leninism is a political and economic theory which builds upon Marxism; it is a branch of Marxism (and it has been the dominant branch of Marxism in the world since the 1920s). ... Nicéphore Dieudonné Soglo (born 29 November 1934) is a politician, former Prime Minister, and President of Benin. ...

Benin was thus the first African country to successfully effect the transition from dictatorship to a pluralistic political system. In the second round of National Assembly elections held in March 1995, Soglo's political vehicle, the Parti de la Renaissance du Benin, was the largest single party but lacked an overall majority. The success of a party formed by supporters of ex-president Kérékou, who had officially retired from active politics, encouraged him to stand successfully at both the 1996 and 2001 presidential elections. Jump to: navigation, search Dictator was the title of a magistrate in ancient Rome appointed by the Senate to rule the state in times of emergency. ...

Constitution

In part spurred by the collapse of the Soviet Union and the resultant lack of donor support from the superpower, as well as an economic crisis within the country, Benin adopted a new constitution in 1990 in order to open up and liberalise the political system and economy. Its chief aims are to enshrine in law accountability, transparency, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, separation of governmental powers, the right to strike, universal suffrage (at age 18) and independence of the judiciary. Jump to: navigation, search A superpower is a state with the ability to influence events and project power on a super scale. ... Jump to: navigation, search For the Temptations album, see 1990 (Temptations album) MCMXC redirects here; for the Enigma album, see MCMXC a. ...

These developments have created economic growth in Benin, but some of the bold ideals of the constitution have yet to be fully realised. Lack of accountability and transparency, failure to separate the judiciary from the political system, and high levels of illiteracy are the main stumbling blocks. Additionally, state employees are poorly paid, which makes them susceptible to bribery and corruption. There are unresolved issues with many pre-constitution laws which contradict the constitution. Many of the older laws derive from French legal norms as France was the former colonial power. Critics have also complained that the constitution makes no mention of the right to an adequate standard of living.

Since being written, the constitution has been translated into eight of the national languages of Benin. Broadcasts on local radio stations, in both in urban and rural areas, have publicised the constitution across the country.

Government

Cotonou is the seat of government. Porto-Novo is the official capital. Cotonou, population 536,827 (1992), is the seat of government of Benin, though the official capital is Porto-Novo. ... Porto-Novo, population 179,138 (1992), is the official capital of Benin. ...

The President

The President of Benin is elected for a five year term. An individual can serve only two terms. Hence the current incumbent, Mathieu Kérékou, cannot contest the next Presidential election. Election is by absolute majority which, after a second round if necessary.

Candidates must be:

• Beninese by birth, or have had Beninese nationality for 10 years

• Between the ages of 40 and 70 on the date of his candidacy

• Resident in Benin during elections

• Declared mentally and physically fit by three doctors

The Cabinet

The Cabinet is under the authority of the President, and serves to advise and help formulate strategies. It also liaises with ministries and other government institutions.

The Courts

The Constitutional Court allows private citizens to challenge the government. This has been used particularly in cases of workplace discrimination. The Supreme Court has the highest level of jurisdiction in legal matters. It is designed as a check on the executive, and also acts in a consultative role. The High Court of Justice, which cannot include the President, is made up of members of the Constitutional Court, Parliament and the president of the Supreme Court. It alone can judge the President.

Audiovisual and Communication Authority

This institution guarantees the freedom of the press and access to the media. It is also charged with ensuring all citizens have access to official information.

Ministries

Senior ministers in the current government include:

• Mathieu Kérékou President of the Republic, Head of State and Government

• Bruno Amoussou, Minister of State

• Pierre Osho, Minister of State, in charge of National Defence

• Dorothée Sossa Guardian of Seals, Minister of Justice, Legislation and Human Rights

• Daniel Tawéma, Minister of the Interior, Security and Decentralisation

• Rogatien Biaou, Minister of Foreign Affairs and African Integration

• Grégoire Laourou, Minister of Finance and Economy

• Alain Adihou, Minister of Relationships with Institutions, Civil Society and the Beninese of the Diaspora

• Lazare Sèhouéto, Minister of Agriculture, Breeding and Fishery

The Benin government's website has a full list and a selection of photos of senior ministers. (Ahmed) Mathieu Kérékou (born September 2, 1933) is the president of Benin. ... Bruno Amoussou (born 2 July 1939 in Djakotomey) is a Beninese politician and leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD). ... Rogatien Biaou (born May 19, 1952 in Save, Benin) is the foreign minister of Benin since June 12, 2003known to have links with terrorist groups. ...

National Assembly

The National Assembly is the Parliament of Benin - the primary legislative body. Deputies are elected every four years, in contrast to the five year term of the president. There are 83 available seats. It exercises the legislative power and oversight authority over Government action. Members of the army are not allowed to stand unless they resign from their military position. An aerial view of Parliament of India at New Delhi. ...

Political parties

See: List of political parties in Benin.

A political party is a political organization subscribing to a certain ideology or formed around very special issues with the aim to participate in power, usually by participating in elections. ...

Recent elections

During the 2001 presidential elections alleged irregularities led to a boycott of the run-off poll by the main opposition candidates. The four top-ranking contenders following the first round presidential elections were Mathieu Kerekou (incumbent) 45.4%, Nicephore Soglo (former president) 27.1%, Adrien Houngbedji (National Assembly Speaker) 12.6%, and Bruno Amoussou (Minister of State) 8.6%. The second round balloting, originally scheduled for March 18, 2001, was postponed for days because both Soglo and Houngbedji withdrew, alleging electoral fraud. This left Kerekou to run against his own Minister of State, Amoussou, in what was termed a "friendly match". The next presidential elections are due to be held in March 2006. Bruno Amoussou (born 2 July 1939 in Djakotomey) is a Beninese politician and leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD). ...

In the 2003 National Assembly elections, the results were PRB 27, PRD 11, FARD-ALAFIA 10, PSD 9, MADEPO 6, Alliance Etoile 4, Alliance IPD 4, CAR-DUNYA 3, MERCI 2, other 7. The next National Assembly elections will be held in March 2007.

See also: Elections in Benin

Politics of Benin Categories: Elections in Benin | Election related stubs ...

International organizations

ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO The ACP States are the countries that are signatories of the Lomé Convention. ... The African Development Bank (AfDB) is a development bank established in 1964 with the intention of promoting economic and social development in Africa. ... The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA or ECA) was established in 1958 to encourage economic cooperation among its member states. ... The Economic Community of West African States is a regional group of fifteen countries, founded on May 28, 1975 when 15 West African countries signed the Treaty of Lagos. ... The Conseil de lEntente (Council of Accord or Council of Understanding) is a West African regional co-operation forum established in May 1959 by Côte dIvoire, Niger, Burkina Faso and Benin, and joined in 1996 by Togo. ... Headquartered in Rome, Italy, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations programs seek to raise levels of nutrition and standards of living; to improve the production, processing, marketing, and distribution of food and agricultural products; to promote rural development; and, by these means, to eliminate hunger. ... FZ.se is a Swedish gaming site, initially named FragZone. ... The Group of 77 at the United Nations is a loose coalition of developing nations, designed to promote its members collective economic interests and create an enhanced joint negotiating capacity in the United Nations. ... IAEA The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), established as an autonomous organization on July 29, 1957, seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for military purposes. ... The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD, in Romance languages: BIRD), better known as the World Bank, is an international organization whose original mission was to finance the reconstruction of nations devastated by WWII. Now, its mission has expanded to fight poverty by means of financing states. ... The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), an agency of the United Nations, develops the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth. ... The International Criminal Court (ICC) was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, as defined by several international agreements, most prominently the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. ... Claiming 157 million members in 225 affiliated organisations in 148 countries and territories, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) came into being on December 7, 1949 following a split within the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU). ... Jump to: navigation, search The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement consists of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (Federation), and the 181 national Red Cross or Red Crescent societies currently recognized by the ICRC and admitted... The International Development Association (IDA) was created on September 24, 1960, is a UN specialized agency. ... IDB can mean:- Illicit Diamond Buying (in South Africa) Image Database Industrial Development Board (for Northern Ireland) Informational Drug Brochure In-suit Drink Bag (for a spacesuit) Integrated Database Intelligence Database Inter-American Development Bank Inter-Dimensional Being Interleaved Dual Boost Internal Data Bus ITS Data Bus International Database Internet... The International Fund for Agricultural Development is an agency of the United Nations. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS) is an international humanitarian organisation, often better known as the Red Cross or the Red Crescent. ... Ilo may refer to: Ilo, a port in southern Peru Ilo, an artist on the Icelandic Bad Taste record label Ilo, the Estonian goddess of feasts This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The flag of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is the international organization entrusted with overseeing the global financial system by monitoring foreign exchange rates and balance of payments, as well as offering technical and financial assistance when asked. ... Headquarters of the International Maritime Organisation in Lambeth, adjacent to the east end of Lambeth Bridge Headquarters building taken from the west side of the Thames Headquartered in London, U.K., the International Maritime Organization (IMO) promotes cooperation among governments and the shipping industry to improve maritime safety and to... Jump to: navigation, search Interpol logo Interpol, more correctly the International Criminal Police Organization – Interpol (ICPO-Interpol), was created in 1923 to assist international criminal police co-operation. ... Alternative meanings at IOC (disambiguation) The International Olympic Committee is an organization based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin in 1894 to reinstate the Ancient Olympic Games held in Greece, and organize this sports event every four years. ... The International Organization for Migration is an intergovernmental organisation. ... The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is an international organization established to standardize and regulate international radio and telecommunications. ... MONUC is a French acronym for Mission de l Organisation des Nations unies en République démocratique du Congo, in English: Mission of the United Nations (UN) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). ... NAM stands for: National Association of Manufacturers Non-Aligned Movement Network Analysis Module National Assembly Member, a member of the National Assembly of The Gambia. ... Flag of the Organisation of African Unity, later also used by the African Union. ... Image:OIC Flag. ... The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is an agency of the United Nations. ... This article is about the United Nations, for other uses of UN see UN (disambiguation) Official languages English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic Secretary-General Kofi Annan (since 1997) Established October 24, 1945 Member states 191 Headquarters New York City, NY, USA Official site http://www. ... The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) was established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body, UNCTAD is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment and development issues. ... Jump to: navigation, search UNESCO logo The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, commonly known as UNESCO, is a specialized agency of the United Nations system established in 1945. ... United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is an agency of the United Nations with the mission of helping countries pursue sustainable industrial development, it is a specialist in industrial affairs. ... The UNMEE (United Nations Mission To Ethiopia and Eritrea) was originally formed to monitor a ceasefire in the border war that began in 1998 between Ethiopia and Eritrea. ... The Universal Postal Union (UPU) is a international organization that coordinates postal policies between member nations, and hence the world-wide postal system. ... WCL is an initialism for World Confederation of Labour. ... World Customs Organization (WCO) is an intergovernmental organization that helps member states communicate and cooperate on customs issues. ... The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) was established in the wake of the Second World War to bring together trade unions across the world in a single international organization, much like the United Nations. ... Jump to: navigation, search The WHO flag: similar to the flag of the United Nations, augmented with the symbolic staff and serpent of Asklepios, Greek god of medicine and healing. ... The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is one of the specialized agencies of the United Nations, and has as its core objectives the promotion of creative intellectual activity and the facilitation of the transfer of technology related to intellectual property to the developing countries in order to accelerate economic, social... The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 187 Member States and Territories. ... The World Tourism Organization (WTO) is a UN agency dealing with questions relating to tourism. ... For other uses of the initials WTO, see WTO (disambiguation). ...

External links

Benin Government Portal

US State Department report