“We, the Democrats, are more than convinced that we will defeat this regime…”, the LD party
In a statement on Wednesday, the party Les Démocrates addressed the events that shook Benin on Sunday, December 7, 2025, and urged the so-called “rupture” government to avoid any political exploitation of those events.
SUMMARY
In its message, the political formation recalls its founding line, born in 2020 to defend democracy, the freedom to choose leaders and the preservation of the gains of the National Conference of 1990.
The party accuses the current regime of exclusions and pressures, but reaffirms its conviction that only the democratic path and the ballot box will allow for change.
Les Démocrates warn against any instrumentalization of the events to further restrict political freedoms and call for the maintenance of a national space for dialogue.
Finally, Les Démocrates call on their activists to remain calm and mobilized, convinced that victory, in their view, will be built exclusively at the ballot box, in a peaceful, inclusive and transparent manner.
The full text of the declaration
Cotonou, December 10, 2025
Women and men of Benin ;
Dear compatriots ;
Before any remarks, we should stand to observe a minute of silence in memory of our compatriots who fell during those unfortunate events of December 7, 2025.
Since the unfortunate events of December 7, 2025, and after its press release condemning those events as well as the statement by its President, despite his health difficulties, the party Les Démocrates is sending a message to our people today, December 10, 2025.
Created on July 6, 2020, after refusing to trade its ideal of a democratic and prosperous Benin in collusion with what had until then been an original party, the party Les Démocrates was born so that democracy would never die in our country.
The party Les Démocrates was born so that the people can always have the possibility of choosing their leaders democratically.
The party Les Démocrates was born so that the Republic’s institutions can be consolidated and so that each institution of the Republic can play its role as it should.
The party Les Démocrates was born so that every Beninese woman and every Beninese man can have the opportunity to go to the polls as a voter, but even more as a candidate.
The party Les Démocrates was born out of pain so that the gains of the National Conference of February 1990 may remain eternal in the political history of our country.
The party’s name was not chosen by chance; it embodies the depth of our beliefs in democracy.
Since 2016, despite all the attempts by the so-called “rupture” government to discourage us from being so attached to democracy, we have remained attached to it.
For that, it excludes us, drives us out, disperses us; however, our attachment to democratic and republican values is greater than all the pressures of this regime.
We are so attached to democracy not as a fad, but because it constitutes the soul of our party’s very existence.
Our condemnation of this vile attempted coup of December 7, 2025, is firm, unequivocal and irrevocable.
We want to draw our people’s attention to the fact that no one should be able to rely on these unfortunate events, which saw some of our compatriots lose their lives, to sink further into exclusion and the confiscation of power.
While the party reaffirms and reiterates its condemnation of this unfortunate attempt, it also insists on the necessity that we always leave a channel for discussion between the sons and daughters of this beautiful country.
The party Les Démocrates, relying on the sacred norms of the conclusions of the National Conference of 1990, holds that the political life of our country must be driven by political parties and that the military belong in the barracks.
We, Les Démocrates, insist on this declaration which, for more than three decades, has helped our country be a democratic model not only on the African continent, but also worldwide.
How many have attacked our party because they believe we are too attached to elections, too attached to the ballot box and, finally, too attached to democracy itself…?
Even if the regime pushes us through all forms of injustices, exclusions and ostracism so that we renounce the path of the ballot box, we continue to believe that it is the people who constitute our solution, through free, inclusive and transparent elections.
We are at a crossroads and our party once again reclaims its unconditional democratic choice.
We, Les Démocrates, are more than convinced that we will defeat this regime, but especially at the ballot box.
No one should be mistaken about the struggles or the objectives. Our means to defeat this regime are known, and it is by the inclusive, transparent and peaceful route of the ballot box and the truth of the ballots.
Any implicit or explicit assimilation to the regrettable events of December 7, 2025, must be based on facts and not on baseless inventions.
This attempted coup, quickly contained by the defense and security forces, did not fail to plunge our country into mourning. This is the place for us to once again express our sincere condolences to the affected and grieving families…
The party Les Démocrates proclaims it loud and clear: never again…
The party Les Démocrates remains faithful to its line, and to its convictions which have not changed.
To the female and male activists of the party Les Démocrates, we call on them to remain calm and not lose sight of the original objectives, namely: to defeat this regime at the ballot box.
The Republic’s arms must protect the country’s children and not turn against them.
We will defeat this regime but in a democratic and legitimate way…
God watches over Benin.
God bless Benin.
Thank you.
The party Les Démocrates
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