Benin – Constitutional revision: Théodore Holo gives his technical opinion
Constitutional expert Théodore Holo spoke on Monday, November 11, 2025, about the constitutional amendment project aimed at establishing an upper chamber, the Senate, in Benin.
Asked to shed light on the debate, his remarks were technical and measured. He described the text as “a project without a settled position,” urging caution and analysis before the vote.
According to him, several questions remain to be clarified: the exact place of the Senate in the institutional architecture, the modalities of its composition and its actual powers. He pointed out that without clarification on these points, the risk is to “open the black box of a revision without safeguards.”
He did not take a position on the merits of the project, neither for nor against, but called for broad consultation with civil society, political parties and experts.
“It is not enough to decree a reform; it must be based on clarity and transparency,” he added.
His reaction comes in a tense political context. The constitutional revision project promoted notably by Aké Natondé and Assan Séïbou is at the heart of the parliamentary debate and has prompted mixed reactions.
Professor Holo’s comments help enrich the dialogue by stressing the importance of a well-founded reform rather than a mere act of implementation.
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