Benin’s National Autonomous Electoral Commission (CENA) has announced a landslide victory for Romuald Wadagni and Mariam Chabi Talata following the presidential election held on April 12, 2026.
The provisional results, released on Monday evening, show the duo securing a resounding 94.05% of the votes cast, totaling over 4.2 million ballots. Their challenger, Paul Hounkpè, received 5.95% of the vote, amounting to approximately 269,000 ballots. These figures were based on a reporting rate of over 90% from more than 15,000 polling stations across the country.
Voter turnout for the election was recorded at 58.75%, with nearly 4.6 million of the 7.8 million registered voters participating. While some disruptions were reported in northern regions, CENA noted that the intervention of defense and security forces ensured the overall smooth running of operations both domestically and at polling stations abroad. The commission specifically praised the reliability of its digital results transmission system, which provided secure traceability and rapid data processing throughout the counting period.
CENA has stated that the significant margin between the candidates makes the outcome mathematically irreversible, even as the final remaining results are compiled. In line with the nation’s Electoral Code, these provisional findings have been transmitted to the Constitutional Court, which remains the sole authority capable of proclaiming the final, official results.
The announcement follows a concession from Paul Hounkpè, who acknowledged the trend in favor of his opponent and offered his congratulations in a spirit of republicanism. The election took place in a distinct political landscape, characterized by the absence of the main opposition party, Les Démocrates, and the departure of outgoing President Patrice Talon. Talon, who did not seek re-election, praised the atmosphere of the vote and suggested that Benin is now entering a significant new phase in its democratic history.
AC/Sf/fss/abj/APA