General Information
At stake in this election:
- The office of President of Benin
Description of government structure:
- Chief of State: President Mathieu KEREKOU
- Head of Government: President Mathieu KEREKOU
- Assembly: Benin has a unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) with 83 seats.
Description of electoral system:
- The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 5-year term.
- In the National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) 83 members are elected by direct popular vote to serve 4-year terms.
Main Candidates in the First Round of the Presidential race:
- Mathieu KEREKOU*
- Party: Independent Candidate
- Bruni AMOUSSOU*
- Party: The Social Democratic Party
- Nicephore SOGLO
- Party: Benin Renaissance Party (PRB)
- Adrieu HOUNGBEDJI
- Party: Revival Party
* Advanced to second round of election.
Election Note:
- Although Nicephore SOGLO received the second most votes, he and third place candidate Adrieu HOUNGNEDJI both declined to participate in the runoff election. Therefore, fourth place candidate Bruni AMOUSSOU advanced to face Mathieu KEREKOU in the second round of voting.
Last Presidential election:
- Presidential elections in Benin were last held on March 18, 1996. Mathieu KEREKOU received 52.49% of the vote, thereby defeating Nicephore SOGLO who received 47.51%.
Population and number of registered voters:
- Population: 6,395,919 (July 2001 est.)
- Registered Voters: 3,152,365
Gender Data:
· Female Population: 3,651,123 (2001)
· Is Benin a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (11 November 1981)
· Has Benin ratified CEDAW: Yes (12 March 1992)
· Gender Quota: No
· Female candidates in this election: Yes
· Number of Female Parliamentarians: 5 (following 1999 elections)
· Human Development Index Position: 166 (2014)
· Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: High (2014)
Disability Data:
· Is Benin a signatory to CRPD: Yes (8 February 2008)
· Has Benin ratified CRPD: Yes (5 July 2012)
· Population with a disability: 959,387 (est.)