The parliamentary opposition had filed an appeal with the Constitutional Court to challenge the configuration of the bureau of the National Assembly.
In a decision dated March 9 and made public on Sunday, the Beninese Constitutional Court ordered the resumption of elections for the offices of the standing commissions of the National Assembly. The
seven wise men consider that “the non-representation of the parliamentary minority in the offices of these standing committees is contrary to the constitution.”
The high court asked to reconsider the constitution of the offices by including in each of the five commissions a member of the parliamentary opposition. The Democrats, who have 28 of the 109 seats in parliament, have no representative among the five members of each commission’s bureau installed on February 16.
This is a partial victory for the parliamentary opposition. In its appeal, it also demanded at least one committee chairman, vice-chairmen and rapporteurs. However, the Court ruled that this demand was unfounded. The court also stated that the committee chair positions would not be affected when the elections for the offices
were resumed.
The Democratic Party had also filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court regarding the composition of the National Assembly’s bureau. The opposition party believes that the bureau installed on February 12, 2023, does not conform to the configuration of the parliament. The parliamentary minority, which occupies the post
of second vice-president, wants to have a second representative out of the seven members of the bureau, but it has been rejected. “The election of the members of the bureau of the National Assembly, ninth legislature, is in accordance with the Constitution and there is no reason to order its resumption, “said the Court.
At the end of the legislative elections of January 8, 2023, the ‘Progressive Union Le Renouveau’ came out on top with 53 MPs and the Republican Bloc had 28 elected. These two parties, which support President Patrice Talon, share the National Assembly with the party ‘Les Democrates,’ which represents the opposition with these 28
elected members.
RK/ac/fss/abj/APA