Benin adopts constitutional amendment to create Senate, extend presidential term

Benin has passed a constitutional amendment creating a second chamber and extending presidential and legislative term limits.

It’s too late for Benin’s President Patrice Talon, but the country’s National Assembly has adopted a constitutional amendment extending presidential and legislative terms from five years to seven. The change comes into effect next year. Talon has just seven months left in his second term and the two-term presidential limit remains unchanged. 

The reform also creates a Senate expected to have between 25 and 30 members. According to the amendment, the body will draw on the experience of former political and security figures, including former presidents, leaders of the national assembly, presidents of the Constitutional Courts, and military chiefs of staff.

Its function will be to “regulate political life to safeguard and strengthen national unity, democracy, and peace.” 

The Senate will have the power to request a second reading of laws passed by the National Assembly, with a few exceptions such as finance laws.

The amendment was passed by 90 votes to 19, meeting the required four-fifths majority.