Benin: Eugène Azatassou expresses his expectations towards the senators.

Initially opposed to its creation, Eugène Azatassou, the political leader of the opposition, acknowledges the existence of the Senate as a new institution of the Republic. He calls on the future senators to show responsibility and self-transcendence in order to ensure the credibility of this so-called upper chamber.

Preservation of personal reputation as a guarantee of rigor

For Eugène Azatassou, the profile and background of the individuals called to sit in the Senate constitute a first line of defense against possible abuses. He believes that these leaders, having reached the pinnacle of their professional and political careers, will naturally be concerned with preserving their reputation and public image.

According to his statements, each of these future members will fully invest themselves to present a positive image of themselves and demonstrate their superior interest in the nation. This quest for personal and professional respectability should, in his view, lead them to act rigorously by actively and calmly contributing to the smooth functioning of the institution.

Overcoming political divisions for a consensus Senate

The other major expectation expressed by the opposition party’s framework concerns the political neutrality of the upper chamber. Eugène Azatassou emphasizes the need to prevent the Senate from becoming an extension or a battleground for personal political rivalries that animate the Beninese scene, particularly the historical antagonism between prominent figures such as Patrice Talon and Boni Yayi.

However, he remains optimistic about the senators’ ability to rise above these partisan divisions. Highlighting the fact that this assembly will consist of experienced personalities capable of understanding the stakes in all their dimensions, he advocates for the establishment of a consensus bureau.

For him, the future leadership team must work to gather all sensitivities and operate in unison, rather than establishing itself as a bureau that suppresses the minority.

A credibility that will be built through action

In the face of persistent doubts and criticisms surrounding the actual role and utility of this new institution in the Beninese institutional landscape, the politician believes that the debate must now shift to the realm of practice.

For Eugène Azatassou, the best way to silence the skeptics now lies in concrete action. He argues that the Senate’s future credibility will depend much less on theoretical controversies that marked its establishment than on the rigor and efficiency with which its members will carry out the republican mission entrusted to them.