Constitutional revision: “the seven-year term is not to my advantage”, Patrice Talon
The day after the enactment of the new Constitution, which took place on Wednesday, December 17, President Patrice Talon explained to the press the main innovations of the text, notably the establishment of the Senate and the extension of the presidential term from five to seven years.
SUMMARY
The head of state says this is neither a personal calculation nor a political U-turn, but a response to the structural constraints of Benin’s development.
After nine years at the head of the country, the man who had pledged in 2016 to serve only one term believes that the five-year term does not allow for sustainably transforming a country faced with essential needs.
“Five years is too short,” he declared, stressing that public action requires a longer timeframe than that imposed by electoral cycles.
To back up his point, Patrice Talon mentioned several major projects undertaken during his tenure, such as the transformation of Ganvié, the relocation of the Dantokpa market, the construction of the new seat of the National Assembly, and road projects. All of these, he says, have been slowed by the complexity of technical studies and counter-expert reviews, to the point of exceeding a five-year term.
This gap, the president says, feeds a constant tension between political urgency and the reality of implementation. Governing, he insisted, requires time, whereas accountability follows a shorter timetable.
Asked about the fact that the seven-year term is not the norm in several Western democracies, Patrice Talon downplayed the comparison. He pointed out that in countries like France, Canada or the United States, governments are not required to provide basic infrastructure such as water, electricity, roads or schools, because those needs are already met. In contrast, Benin, in his words, must “make a leap into the future with needs that date back to the Middle Ages.”
The head of state also contrasted the nature of priorities. Where some countries debate immigration, pensions or social security, Benin still faces fundamental challenges. In this context, he explained, political time becomes a determining factor in the effectiveness of public action.
… “The seven-year term is not for my benefit…”
Facing suspicions of a constitutional change with personal aims, Patrice Talon wanted to be categorical. The seven-year term, he said, “is not for my benefit,” but conceived “for the benefit of Benin.”
A reform he presents as a structural choice, part of a long-term logic, and not as a maneuver tied to his own political future.
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