Benin: Talon announces plans of massive political reforms

Benin’s President Patrice Talon has announced plans to reform the West African country’s governmental institutions.

According to reports, Talon was advocating for political reforms to modify the operation of certain institutions of the Republic, such as the Benin’s Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and the leadership of audiovisual and communication sectors.

He has called for the modification of the Constitutional Court structure. The newly-elected president said the Court should be headed by a member of the institution rather than by a presidential appointee.

In addition, he announced that the High Council of the judiciary would be headed by the president.

Talon is also considering a change in the composition of the governing body in communication.

He noted that one of the members should be proposed by the Head of State, two by the Parliament and six by media professionals.

The west African country’s leader said the President of the institution would now be elected by its members and not appointed.

A national technical committee responsible for policy and institutional reforms will soon take effect in the country.

Talon explained that the political reforms would help to consolidate democracy and the rule of law in Benin.

Talon, who succeeded Thomas Yayi Boni has recently promised to ‘miraculously’ turn around the Benin economy in his first and only term in office.

#Vote229 #PatriceTalon pledges to ‘miraculously’ change #Benin in 5 years https://t.co/7YcgEwCECR via africanews Cc OSIWA1 USEmbassyBenin

— BeninVote 2016 (Vote_229) April 27, 2016

AFP