Provisional results from Benin’s parliamentary election on January 11, 2026, show that the political opposition has failed to secure any seats in the 109-member National Assembly, with two parties aligned with President Patrice Talon dominating the vote.
The Progressive Union for Renewal (UPR) won 41.15% of the vote and will hold 60 seats, while the Republican Bloc secured 36.64% and 49 seats, giving pro-Talon forces complete control of the legislature.
The main opposition party, The Democrats—linked to former President Thomas Boni Yayi—received 16.14% of the vote but fell short of the 20% threshold required for parliamentary representation, a rule introduced in 2024 electoral reforms (previously 10%). The Democrats previously held more than 20 seats.
The election outcome has raised serious concerns about deepening political exclusion and the weakening of institutional checks on the executive branch. Consultancy firm Signal Risk described it as a move that “reduces institutional checks on the executive.”
Nadin Kokode, a member of The Democrats, accused pro-Talon parties of deliberately excluding the opposition for the next seven-year term. He highlighted alleged irregularities, including delayed opening of polling stations, lack of voting equipment, and the exclusion of party supervisors from the vote-counting process.
The electoral commission acknowledged minor logistical challenges but stated that incidents were quickly brought under control.
The vote came just over one month after a failed coup attempt against President Talon in December 2025 and three months before a presidential election in April 2026, which will mark the end of his 10-year tenure under constitutional term limits.
The results consolidate power in the hands of Talon-aligned parties ahead of the presidential poll, further diminishing opposition influence in Benin’s political landscape. The provisional figures await final validation by the Constitutional Court.
