Benin

Current head of state

Romuald Wadagni President of the Republic of Benin In office 2026–present · 0.4y Born 1976 · took office at 49 Bibamad · CC BY-SA 4.0

Romuald Wadagni

President of the Republic of Benin

Since 2026 0.4 years in office

Governance indicator

-0.32

−2.50+2.5

World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, composite of six dimensions · 2024

Chamber

Deputy

Seats

—

Speaker

—

Active alliances

28

1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

Mathieu Kérékou Mathieu Kérékou President of the Republic of Benin In office 1980–1991 · 11y PartyPeople's Revolutionary Party of Benin Born 1933 · took office at 46 Ricardo Stuckert/ABr · CC BY 3.0 br

Nicéphore Soglo Nicéphore Soglo President of the Republic of Benin In office 1991–1996 · 5y PartyBenin Rebirth Party Born 1934 · took office at 56 Jean-Marc Ayrault · CC BY 2.0

Mathieu Kérékou Mathieu Kérékou President of the Republic of Benin In office 1996–2006 · 10y PartyPeople's Revolutionary Party of Benin Born 1933 · took office at 62 Ricardo Stuckert/ABr · CC BY 3.0 br

Thomas Boni Yayi Thomas Boni Yayi President of the Republic of Benin In office 2006–2016 · 10y Partyindependent politician Born 1952 · took office at 53 USAID photo · Public domain

Patrice Talon Patrice Talon President of the Republic of Benin In office 2016–2026 · 10.1y Partyindependent politician Born 1958 · took office at 57 Office of USAID Administrator · Public domain

Romuald Wadagni Romuald Wadagni President of the Republic of Benin In office 2026–present · 0.4y Born 1976 · took office at 49 Bibamad · CC BY-SA 4.0

1963-10-28 1965-11-29 1965-12-22 1967-12-17 1969-12-10 1972-10-26

Term Began with a realized coup In office Realized coup — dated

The scale spans every dated record held for this country, so it may begin before the first leader on file — a gap at the left means coups are recorded for years where no office-holder is. Coup markers link to the Cline Center source.

1. 2026– Romuald Wadagni President of the Republic of Benin In office 2026–present · 0.4y Born 1976 · took office at 49 Bibamad · CC BY-SA 4.0 Romuald Wadagni In office 0.4y
2. 2016–2026 Patrice Talon President of the Republic of Benin In office 2016–2026 · 10.1y Partyindependent politician Born 1958 · took office at 57 Office of USAID Administrator · Public domain Patrice Talon 10.1y
3. 2006–2016 Thomas Boni Yayi President of the Republic of Benin In office 2006–2016 · 10y Partyindependent politician Born 1952 · took office at 53 USAID photo · Public domain Thomas Boni Yayi 10y
4. 1996–2006 Mathieu Kérékou President of the Republic of Benin In office 1996–2006 · 10y PartyPeople's Revolutionary Party of Benin Born 1933 · took office at 62 Ricardo Stuckert/ABr · CC BY 3.0 br Mathieu Kérékou 10y
5. 1991–1996 Nicéphore Soglo President of the Republic of Benin In office 1991–1996 · 5y PartyBenin Rebirth Party Born 1934 · took office at 56 Jean-Marc Ayrault · CC BY 2.0 Nicéphore Soglo 5y
6. 1980–1991 Mathieu Kérékou President of the Republic of Benin In office 1980–1991 · 11y PartyPeople's Revolutionary Party of Benin Born 1933 · took office at 46 Ricardo Stuckert/ABr · CC BY 3.0 br Mathieu Kérékou 11y

• 1972
  1972-10-26 Military
• 1969
  1969-12-10 Military
• 1967
  1967-12-17 Military
• 1965
  1965-12-22 Military
• 1965
  1965-11-29 MilitaryPalace Leader fled
• 1963
  1963-10-28 Military

Source: Cline Center Coup d’État Project — realized events only.

• 2026
  Benin Senate July 2026 Election

  Seats

  25

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 2026
  Benin National Assembly January 2026 Election Progressive Union for Renewal6055% Republican Bloc (BR)4945%

  Seats

  109

  Turnout

  36.7%

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 2023
  Benin National Assembly January 2023 Election Progressive Union for Renewal5348.6% Democrats2825.7% Republican Block (BR)2825.7%

  Seats

  109

  Turnout

  37.8%

  Women

  25.7%

  Parties won

  —

• 2019
  Benin National Assembly April 2019 Election Progressive Union4756.6% Republican Bloc (BR)3643.4%

  Seats

  83

  Turnout

  27.1%

  Women

  7.2%

  Parties won

  2

• 2015
  Benin National Assembly April 2015 Election Cauri Forces for an Emerging Benin (FCBE)3339.8% Build the Nation Union (UN)1315.7% Party for Democratic Renewal (PRD)1012% Rebirth of Benin - Patriotic Revival Party (RB-RP)78.4%

  Seats

  83

  Turnout

  65.9%

  Women

  7.2%

  Parties won

  11

• 2011
  Benin National Assembly April 2011 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 2007
  Benin National Assembly March 2007 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 2003
  Benin National Assembly March 2003 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 1999
  Benin National Assembly March 1999 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 1995
  Benin National Assembly March 1995 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 1991
  Benin National Assembly February 1991 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 1989
  Benin National Assembly June 1989 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 1984
  Benin National Assembly June 1984 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 1979
  Benin National Assembly November 1979 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

Source: ipu_parline.

Fertility rate

4.5 2024

Life expectancy at birth

61.0 2024

Population growth

2.5 2024

Total population

14.5M 2024

Urban population percent

52.5 2024

Adult literacy rate

51.4 2022

Government expenditure on education percent of GDP

3.2 2023

Primary net enrollment ratio

97.2 2018

Secondary net enrollment ratio

46.6 2015

Ethnic groups

Religion

Languages

• 55 languages; French ; Fon
• including Bariba and Fulfulde

Composition: CIA World Factbook, 2013 estimate. Shares are reproduced as published and are not renormalised, so a country may total slightly under or over 100%.

Regional & continental

• AfCFTA
• African Union
• AFRISTAT 1993
• Conseil de l'Entente
• ECOWAS
• OHADA
• La Francophonie 1970
• OIC 1983

Global bodies & treaties

• African Development Bank
• International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
• International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
• International Civil Defence Organisation
• International Development Association
• International Finance Corporation
• International Telecommunication Union
• Interpol
• Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
• Multinational Joint Task Force
• Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
• Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States
• Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
• UNESCO
• United Nations
• Universal Postal Union
• World Customs Organization
• World Health Organization
• World Meteorological Organization
• World Trade Organization

• ICJ 2002 decided

  Frontier Dispute (Benin/Niger)

  land boundary

Register

Every party the observatory holds for this country, historical and current — the register is not filtered to parties currently holding seats.

• Action Front for Renewal and Development
• African Congress for Renewal
• African Movement for Development and Progress MADEP
• African People's Bloc
• African Rally for Progress and National Solidarity
• Alliance for a Democratic Dynamic
• Alliance for a Triumphant Benin
• Alliance for Democracy and Development
• Alliance for Democracy and Progress
• Alliance for Revival
• Alliance for Social Democracy social democracy
• Alliance of the Forces of Progress
• Amana Alliance
• Benin Rebirth Party liberalism
• Bloc for Social Democracy social democracy
• Builders and Managers of Freedom and Democracy
• Cauris 2 Alliance
• Chameleon Alliance
• Coalition for an Emerging Benin
• Communist Party of Benin communism
• Congress of People for Progress
• Cowry Forces for an Emerging Benin liberalism
• Dahomeyan Democratic Movement
• Dahomeyan Democratic Party
• Dahomeyan Democratic Union
• Dahomeyan Progressive Party
• Dahomeyan Progressive Union
• Dahomeyan Unity Party African nationalism; African socialism; Pan-Africanism
• Democratic Party for National Union
• Democratic Party of Benin
• Democratic Renewal Party
• Democratic Union for Social Renewal
• Forum for Democracy, Development and Morality
• G13 Baobab Alliance
• Hope Force Antoine Dayori
• Impulse to Progress and Democracy
• Key Force
• Liberal Democrats' Rally for National Reconstruction – Vivoten liberal democracy
• Marxist–Leninist Communist Party of Benin Marxism–Leninism; communism
• Mouvement des élites engagées pour l’émancipation du Bénin Moele-Bénin social democracy
• Movement for Citizens' Commitment and Awakening
• Movement for Development and Solidarity
• Movement for Development by Culture
• Movement for Solidarity, Union and Progress
• Movement for the People's Alternative
• National Alliance for Development and Democracy
• National Forum of Civil and Civic Awakening
• National Labour Party
• National League of Patriotic Youth Marxism–Leninism
• National liberation movement (Dahomey) Pan-Africanism
• National Movement for Democracy and Development
• National Party for Democracy and Development
• National Party "Together"
• National Rally for Democracy RND
• National Salvation Front
• National Union for Democracy and Progress
• National Union for Solidarity and Development
• National Union for Solidarity and Progress
• New Alliance
• Our Common Cause
• Party for Democracy and Social Progress
• Party of Construction and Labour
• Party of Salvation
• Patriotic Revival Party
• People's Republican Union
• Progressive Union for Renewal UPR social democracy
• Rally for Democracy and Progress
• Rally for National Unity and Democracy
• Rally for Progress and Renewal
• Rassemblement Démocratique du Dahomé Hubert Maga
• Republican Bloc BR social liberalism
• Republican Party of Dahomey
• Réso Atao
• Résoatao Party
• Restore the Hope
• Scout Alliance
• Social Democratic Party social democracy
• Socialist Revolution Party of Benin Marxism–Leninism
• Star Alliance
• Strength in Unity Alliance
• Sun Alliance
• Suru Alliance
• The Democrats
• The Greens
• Union Démocratique pour un Bénin Nouveau UDBN
• Union for Benin
• Union for Democracy and National Reconstruction
• Union for Democracy and National Solidarity Sacca Lafia
• Union for Future Benin
• Union for Homeland and Labour Martin Azonhiho
• Union for Homeland and Progress
• Union for Relief
• Union for the Nation
• Union for the Triumph of Democratic Renewal
• Union Makes the Nation Bruno Amoussou
• Union of Communists of Dahomey communism
• Union of Forces of Progress
• Union of Independents of Dahomey
• union pour une vie nouvelle
• United Democratic Forces

Census, population and demographic documents the observatory has located for this country. These are links to the publishers’ own files — the library does not rehost them.

• Africa - Urban and female population — Urban and Female population(%).xlsx hdx xlsx
• Global - Subnational Population Statistics — cod_population_admin4.csv hdx csv
• Global - Subnational Population Statistics — cod_population_admin3.csv hdx csv
• Global - Subnational Population Statistics — cod_population_admin1.csv hdx csv
• Global - Subnational Population Statistics — cod_population_admin2.csv hdx csv
• Global - Subnational Population Statistics — cod_population_admin0.csv hdx csv
• Benin - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — MDGs Data for Benin hdx csv
• Benin - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — IYCF Data for Benin hdx csv
• Benin - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — FP2020 Data for Benin hdx csv
• Benin - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — Birth Registration Data for Benin hdx csv
• Benin - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — DHS Mobile Data for Benin hdx csv
• Benin - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — Anemia Data for Benin hdx csv
• Benin - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — Anthropometry Data for Benin hdx csv
• Benin - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — Access to Health Care Data for Benin hdx csv
• Benin - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — MICS indicators Data for Benin hdx csv
• Benin - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — PMI/RBM Data for Benin hdx csv
• Benin - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — DHS Quickstats Data for Benin hdx csv
• Benin - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — SDGs Data for Benin hdx csv
• Economically active population - Population active — Economically active population - Population active.xlsx hdx xlsx
• HDX HAPI Data for Benin — Geography & Infrastructure: Baseline Population for Benin hdx csv
• Benin - National Demographic and Health Data — Adult Mortality Data for Benin hdx csv
• Benin - National Demographic and Health Data — Anemia Data for Benin hdx csv
• Benin - National Demographic and Health Data — SDGs Data for Benin hdx csv
• Benin - National Demographic and Health Data — Anthropometry Data for Benin hdx csv