Benin starts vote count after municipal, legislative elections

(MENAFN) Officials in Benin started tallying ballots late Sunday after the country held both municipal and parliamentary elections.

Five political groups were in the running for seats in the National Assembly, among them Les Democrates, led by former president Boni Yayi. The vote took place just weeks after a coup attempt on December 7 was thwarted by loyalist forces with assistance from Nigeria.

Polling centers closed at 5 p.m. local time, and observers from the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations for Elections and Peace reported that the process was calm and orderly. The group urged the electoral commission to safeguard the independence of the count and to post results transparently at each station.

Roughly 8 million citizens were registered to choose representatives for the 109-seat legislature and 77 municipal councils, according to the national election authority. Results are expected in the coming days. Analysts anticipate that President Patrice Talon’s alliance, which currently controls 81 seats, will likely maintain its majority.

Election chief Sacca Lafia earlier assured that safeguards were in place to ensure a fair and secure vote. The parliamentary contest precedes presidential elections scheduled for April.

Talon, now 67 and serving his second term, cannot run again and has endorsed Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni as his preferred successor.

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