Voters in Benin Choose 49-Year-Old Wadagni to Lead the Country

Benin's finance minister, Romuald Wadagni, has emerged victorious in the country's presidential election, securing a landslide win according to provisional results, which indicate the country will continue on its current trajectory after a decade of robust economic expansion.

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Wadagni, who embodies continuity with the outgoing president Patrice Talon's era, will face significant challenges, including a substantial wealth gap and insecurity in the north stemming from attacks attributed to jihadist groups, despite overseeing rapid economic growth, a surge in tourism, and the completion of numerous infrastructure projects during his tenure.

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The 49-year-old technocrat, who was the overwhelming favourite to succeed Talon, was backed by the two parties in the governing coalition and faced only one minor opponent, Paul Hounkpe, who ran a low-key campaign and conceded defeat while ballots were still being counted.

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In his concession statement, Hounkpe offered his "republican congratulations" to Wadagni, stating that "democracy requires mutual respect and the ability to rise above partisan divides", as he acknowledged the outcome of the election.

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Benin's independent electoral commission, CENA, announced that Wadagni had secured more than 94 percent of the vote in provisional results, based on 90 percent of votes counted, with the constitutional court expected to announce the final results later in the week.

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CENA and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) reported that the election had been peaceful and had run smoothly, although some concerns were raised by Newspaper Le Patriote, which saw "signs of an electoral heist", and an electoral monitoring platform, which reported complaints of ballot boxes appearing full before the start of voting.

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The electoral commission stated that turnout was nearly 60 percent, with the main opposition Democrats party failing to secure the required parliamentary endorsements to field a candidate, and Hounkpe needing the endorsement of several majority lawmakers to get on the ballot paper.

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Legal practitioner Hilaire Okounde noted that "the results are no surprise", as Wadagni had no opposition and could have secured up to 99 percent of the vote, while Augustin Salanon, a port official who supported Talon's anointed successor, stated that "the public has opted for continuity in modernisation, sound management and a commitment to development".

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Democrats activist Astrid Kounouho expressed her displeasure with the result, but acknowledged that Wadagni is now the president-elect, and as a member of the opposition, she contests the conditions under which the election took place, citing a lack of political openness and genuine pluralism.

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Alimata, a lock seller in the Gbegemey neighbourhood of Cotonou, took a pragmatic view, stating that "if this election or Wadagni's arrival can change our lives, we shall be happy, but for now, we have to find a way to feed the family".

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Outgoing president Patrice Talon, who has run Benin since 2016, is standing down after two five-year terms, with Wadagni, who has won his first run at elected office, set to take over, having previously served as finance minister, during which time Benin's public finances were cleaned up and the deficit cut by a third to reach three percent of GDP.

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Under Wadagni's tenure as finance minister, Benin has experienced average growth of more than six percent over the decade, earning the backing of international investors, with political analyst Franck Kinninvo stating that as president, Wadagni "will follow in the continuity of what has been done".

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Despite the country's economic growth, major challenges remain, including a poverty rate estimated at more than 30 percent, with many people not feeling the benefits of economic expansion, and security concerns in the north, which are attributed mainly to Al-Qaeda's Sahel branch, the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM).

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The next elections are not until 2033, due to a constitutional reform that has extended the presidential term to seven years, providing Wadagni with a significant period to address the country's challenges and build on the progress made during Talon's era.