Municipal, local elections and local elections were held yesterday Sunday, June 28 with two years late. Elections were held to renew municipal and communal councils in 77 towns and advice of villages and city districts. The crowd was small and twin elections has led to some problems.

Overall, voting took place in a calm and started without too much delay, contrary to what happened in places in parliamentary April.

Turnout was rather low. South of Benin, in Cotonou and Porto-Novo in particular, heavy rainfall has discouraged many voters to leave their homes. Besides several politicians regretted the vote in the rainy season.

More generally, a rather dull campaign and a form of fatigue after two years of waiting can explain this mobilization subdued. Not to mention thousands of Beninese have still not received their voting cards.

A reportable incident: in ten districts, the logos of some parties, particularly the cowries Forces for emerging Benin, the alliance that supports President Boni Yayi, were absent ballots for local elections, which raised tensions.

Soon, the operations for these elections then were arrested. The president of the National Independent Election Commission called for calm and announced that the vote in the localities concerned would be taken in consultation with the Supreme Court.

Source: RFI 


AEP

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