Benin: Seïdou Alassane’s lessons in political virtue for the LD party’s defecting MPs
During a nationwide tour carried out with ministers and parliamentarians, Alassane Seidou denounced the lack of morality of certain political actors. He called for more virtue, reminding people that politics is not a playground for adventurers, but a space reserved for responsible citizens.
In practice, that speech sounds like a very targeted warning, perceived by many as a lesson aimed at the MPs who defected from the party Les Démocrates.
Detailing the constitutional reforms, he insisted on the new rule that provides for the automatic loss of mandate for any elected official who changes party during the legislature. According to him, this provision will apply both to MPs and to local elected officials in order to establish a form of institutional loyalty.
This speech comes at a time when shifts in allegiance have multiplied. The maneuver is presented as “a favorite sport” of some, in the words of the Minister.
The firmness of his argument leaves little room for interpretation. Each sentence aims to discourage these practices. Each legal reminder seems to point to those who left the party Les Démocrates to join the presidential majority.
The paradox is obvious. The ruling camp has long been accused of taking advantage of the phenomenon it condemns today. Several MPs who left Les Démocrates did indeed strengthen the movement.
Hearing the government denounce these transfers creates a dissonance that is obvious to everyone. The timing chosen, as well as the identity of the person delivering this message, casts a certain unease.
The central question remains. How do the defectors in question receive this public statement? They now belong to the majority and must show their adherence to the official line. At the same time, Alassane Seidou’s remarks call into question the legitimacy of the route they took to join that same majority. They find themselves in an uncomfortable position.
Their former party already accuses them of having betrayed them. Their new camp bluntly reminds them that such practices will no longer be tolerated.
The message is clear. The constitutional revision, as presented by the Minister of the Interior, is not only intended to clean up the political game. It sets a new standard of loyalty and reminds newcomers that their room for maneuver will from now on be tightly regulated. A way of closing the door behind them and locking in their commitment for the long term.