Elections in Benin
Encyclopedia
Benin elects on national level a head of state
- the president
- and a legislature
. The president is elected for a five year term by the people. The National Assembly
(Assemblée Nationale) has 83 members, elected for a four year term by proportional representation
.
Benin has a multi-party system
, which means that there several political parties
or coalitions.
as President. Results were expected to be announced by March 8. As no single candidate of the 26 won an outright majority, a runoff election took place two weeks later, won by Yayi Boni
with three-quarters of the vote. http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=336242006, http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-03-05-voa22.cfm), http://za.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-03-05T132302Z_01_ALL532525_RTRIDST_0_OZATP-BENIN-ELECTION-20060305.XML
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
- the president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
- and a legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
. The president is elected for a five year term by the people. The National Assembly
National Assembly of Benin
The unicameral National Assembly of Benin is the country's legislative body.The current National Assembly has 83 members who are directly elected through a system of party-list proportional representation and serve five-year terms.-See also:...
(Assemblée Nationale) has 83 members, elected for a four year term by proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
.
Benin has a multi-party system
Multi-party system
A multi-party system is a system in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition, e.g.The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in the United Kingdom formed in 2010. The effective number of parties in a multi-party system is normally...
, which means that there several political parties
Political Parties
Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy is a book by sociologist Robert Michels, published in 1911 , and first introducing the concept of iron law of oligarchy...
or coalitions.
Recent elections
On March 5, 2006, voters went to the polls to decide who would succeed Mathieu KérékouMathieu Kérékou
Mathieu Kérékou, was President of Benin from 1972 to 1991 and again from 1996 to 2006. After seizing power in a military coup, he ruled the country for 17 years, for most of that time under an officially Marxist-Leninist ideology, before he was stripped of his powers by the National Conference of...
as President. Results were expected to be announced by March 8. As no single candidate of the 26 won an outright majority, a runoff election took place two weeks later, won by Yayi Boni
Yayi Boni
Dr. Thomas Yayi Boni , a Beninese banker and politician, is the current President of Benin. He took office on 6 April 2006 after winning elections held in the previous month.-Biography:...
with three-quarters of the vote. http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=336242006, http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-03-05-voa22.cfm), http://za.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-03-05T132302Z_01_ALL532525_RTRIDST_0_OZATP-BENIN-ELECTION-20060305.XML