General Elections 2026: Céna briefs political parties in Cotonou
Less than a year before Benin’s first general elections in history, the Autonomous National Electoral Commission (Céna) continues its consultations.
SUMMARY
This Monday, the institution in charge of the electoral process held a significant exchange session with political parties, in the presence of the Electoral Council, the Director General of Elections, Boucary Abou Soulé Adam, technical officials from Céna, and media representatives.
Chaired by Laurentine Adossou Davo, reporter for the Electoral Council, the meeting aimed to review the stages already reached, while presenting the upcoming milestones on the agenda. In her opening remarks, she stressed the importance of political dialogue:
“Céna operates according to a dynamic schedule which accompanies, without altering, the electoral calendar.”
Significant progress already made
The Director General of Elections, Boucary Abou Soulé Adam, presented a detailed report of the actions already undertaken by the institution: elaboration, arbitration and validation of the electoral budget, adoption of the official timetable, first consultation with political parties, inventory of electoral materials in the municipalities, publication of the decision outlining the documents to be provided for candidacies, receipt of updated statistics from the Computerized Electoral List (LEI), start of technical exchanges with ANIP.
These advancements reflect the rigor of the ongoing process, according to the DGE, who sought to reassure participants:
“Céna is carrying out its activities normally, without major difficulties, and it counts on the collaboration of all stakeholders to ensure the success of this unprecedented process.”
Next steps: A decisive August
The upcoming deadlines are set to be crucial. As of August 5, Céna will meet with the ministries and institutions involved. On August 6, another session is scheduled with all stakeholders. Between August 11 and 18, the official date of the President/Vice-President duo election will be published.
August 22 will mark the launch of candidacy calls for electoral agents. This will be followed by the introduction of several innovative digital platforms:
- – eDeclaration for parties
- – eRegistration for candidates
- – eAccreditation for observers
In addition, the decision related to sponsorship as well as the delivery of forms to elected officials are also expected by the end of August.
A Consensual Dynamic Welcomed
The representatives of the political parties present appreciated the transparency of the initiative and expressed their commitment to a fair, inclusive, and peaceful election. Several technical concerns were raised, with suggestions aimed at enhancing participation and reliability of the process.
With this dialogue dynamic and the tools in place, Benin is embarking on a novel approach that should redefine its electoral standards.
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