Benin’s 2026 presidential election: LD launches the process this Wednesday to choose its candidate
The opposition party Les Démocrates announced on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, the official launch of the selection process for its candidates for the upcoming elections: the legislative and municipal elections on January 11, 2026, and the presidential election on April 12, 2026.
SUMMARY
The decision follows a national coordination meeting held the day before at the party headquarters. To lead this process, two committees have been set up, including the National Candidacy Committee, a central body made up of fifteen members.
Its composition reflects broader representation: each department delegates a representative to it, to which are added a member designated by the party president, another by the administrative secretariat, and one more by the secretariat in charge of electoral affairs.
This committee will be responsible for evaluating candidacy files after the publication of an official call detailing the criteria and procedures for participation. As in the previous presidential election — where Reckya Madougou’s candidacy had been rejected — applicants will be interviewed. These interviews will allow an assessment of their background, their political plans, and their strategies for mobilizing resources for the campaign.
The committee’s responsibilities
The committees thus established are tasked with reviewing candidacy files according to well-defined criteria. The timetable provides for the opening of the submission period for the presidential election from October 10 to 14, 2025, thus giving interested party activists a few additional weeks to refine their applications.
This opposition initiative comes as the presidential majority has already unveiled its electoral ticket at the end of August. It will be represented by Romuald Wadagni, the party’s officially nominated candidate, and by Mariam Chabi Talata, his running mate.
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