Overview
- Voters chose a successor to two-term president Patrice Talon, with nearly eight million people eligible and Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, backed by the two ruling parties, seen as the front-runner.
- Benin’s economy grew more than 6% a year and roughly doubled under Talon, and many voters credit Wadagni with that record.
- The ballot lists one opposition contender, Paul Hounkpè of FCBE, after the largest opposition party, the Democrats, failed to secure the required nominations.
- Observers warned turnout could lag after new election rules kept many parties off January’s parliamentary ballot, when about two-thirds of registered voters stayed home.
- The vote took place under a security cloud, with jihadist attacks in the north and a December coup attempt reported to have been stopped with help from Nigeria’s army.