The main Beninese opposition party, which has denounced fraud, on Thursday dismissed the preliminary results of the general election that gave victory to President Patrice Talon’s camp.
According to these results, published the previous day by the Autonomous National Electoral Commission (Cena), the presidential movement won 81 of the 109 seats in parliament, versus 28 for the main opposition party, the Democrats. Final results are expected on Friday.
This election must mark the opposition’s return to parliament after a four-year absence from voting in the previous parliamentary elections due to a tightening of voting rules by the authorities.
In a news conference early Thursday morning, Democratic Chairman Eric Houndete denounced “blatant” ballot stuffing, vote-rigging and vote-buying by the two main pro-power parties, but offered no evidence.
“The Democratic Party rejects these results, which do not reflect the will of the people to make us the leading political force in the country,” Mr. Houndete said.
“The results attributed to the two Siamese parties (pro-Talon) could only be achieved with plans put in place to distort the democratic game,” he added.
Last Sunday’s peaceful elections were a test for the small West African country that was once considered a model country for democracy.
Mr. Talon, a wealthy businessman, was elected president there in 2016 and re-elected in 2021.
While his supporters believe he encouraged economic development, the opposition points out that he has set back democracy there, either imprisoning or forcing his main opponents into exile.
An observation mission from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) ruled that Sunday’s election was held peacefully and in accordance with established rules.