Benin: Maximilien Claude Cocou Olympio appointed Coordinator of the Presidency’s Legal Unit
By Presidential Decree No. 2025-535 dated September 11, 2025, Maximilien Claude Cocou Olympio was officially appointed Coordinator of the Legal Unit of the Presidency of the Republic of Benin.
A career magistrate, Mr. Olympio takes up his duties following the adoption of a decree defining the responsibilities, composition, organization and functioning of the new presidential legal unit.
Before this appointment, he chaired the National Commission for the Implementation of the Structural Reform of the Decentralization Sector. He also served in the Directorate of Civil and Criminal Affairs (DACP) of the chancery, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Center for Legal Documentation and Information, as a representative of the Presidency.
The creation of the Legal Unit, now with its structure defined, aims to strengthen the legal basis of presidential decisions. It is intended to centralize legal advice, ensure the Presidency’s acts comply with legal standards, and provide increased technical support in drafting and assessing the legality of executive measures.
This appointment also signals the head of state’s intention to surround himself with experienced legal professionals to secure presidential acts, in a context where questions of constitutionality, the rule of law and the legality of government actions are being scrutinized.
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