Benin — 2026 presidential elections: internal tension within the LD party before the Court

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The issue of self-sponsorship continues to fuel political debate. After bringing the matter before the Constitutional Court, MPs Éric Houndété and Joël Godonou, both members of the party Les Démocrates (LD), ultimately decided to withdraw.

In the appeal filed with the Constitutional Court, the two parliamentarians denounce the discrimination they claim to be suffering within their political party because of self-sponsorship ahead of the 2026 presidential elections.

Asked about the matter during a meeting with elected officials, the director of elections suggested that anyone who can vote for themselves can self-sponsor. These remarks were contested by a group of jurists before the high court.

This legal uncertainty fuels controversy within Les Démocrates, whose leaders suspect traps intended to invalidate their candidacy should they designate a deputy. Directly concerned by the issue, the two parliamentarians took the matter to the Court before withdrawing after the institution declared it lacked jurisdiction following the jurists’ appeal.

The two MPs’ withdrawal is seen as a decision that is more of a tactical maneuver than a genuine renunciation.

As a reminder, the Constitutional Court had already ruled on a similar petition in its decision EP 25-002 of October 9, 2025, specifying that it could only rule on the question of self-sponsorship in the case of a self-referral or within the context of an actual electoral dispute. In short, the two MPs’ appeal had, legally, little chance of succeeding.

Thus, behind this withdrawal there would, according to several sources, be a concerted strategy within Les Démocrates’ political bureau. The aim: to force the Court to take a position, at least indirectly, on an issue that divides the political class, a few months before the presidential election.

But if the CENA were to reject the candidacy of a member of Les Démocrates’ presidential duo on grounds of self-sponsorship, a new appeal could be filed, this time in actual contentious proceedings, thereby making the Court competent.

Note that the party Les Démocrates will hold its National Council this Sunday, October 12, 2025, during which the pair of candidates for the April 12, 2026 presidential election will be officially unveiled.

Among the contenders is Éric Houndété, considered one of the favorites among the 34 candidacy dossiers filed with the CENA, but who is facing the problem of self-sponsorship.