Benin Senate: internal regulations, election of the bureau, and collaboration with the National Assembly at the heart of the next steps
After the solemn installation ceremony of the members of the first term of the Senate this Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Porto-Novo, the institution is preparing for its official function.
SUMMARY
For the Beninese senators, the coming days will be dedicated to shaping the regulatory framework and establishing the necessary governing bodies for its activities, notably the office composed of three members: a president, a vice-president, and a reporter.
The very first task of the upper chamber concerns the adoption of its internal rules. To this end, the senators must meet in a closed session in a designated room within the National Assembly.
According to Théodore Holo, senator and former president of the Constitutional Court, this step is a mandatory prerequisite before organizing the election of the executive office. He hopes that discussions on the text will be resolved quickly so that the document can be submitted to the competent body, with the goal of holding the election for the Senate Bureau in the first week of August.
Regarding the presidency of the upper assembly, Théodore Holo indicated that it is up to the vote to decide the future holder of the position.
A dynamic of collaboration with the National Assembly
The other major challenge for the new institution lies in organizing coexistence with the National Assembly. Théodore Holo reminds us that these relations are rigorously framed by the Constitution. Certain categories of texts, particularly constitutional laws, electoral laws, or those relating to political parties, cannot be enacted in the absence of a non-objection notice issued by the Senate.
Moreover, the upper chamber will retain the ability, under very specific conditions, to request a second reading of legislative texts. The former president of the Constitutional Court emphasizes that this mechanism does not aim to establish rivalry between the two chambers, asserting that the Senate operates within a framework of institutional collaboration rather than conflict.
The effective exercise of the Senate’s missions and powers will remain suspended until the completion of these various steps, which include the adoption of the internal rules and the election of members of the governing body.
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