2026 legislative elections in Benin: Les Démocrates re-elect more than two-thirds of their MPs

More than two thirds of Les Démocrates’ deputies are putting their seats back on the line for the January 11, 2026 legislative elections.

Nineteen of them are once again seeking their voters’ confidence across the country’s twenty-four constituencies. The official list was released this Tuesday, December 2, 2025.

The decision to reconfirm a large majority of deputies confirms the party’s desire to ensure internal stability, even if three absences attract attention. First Vice‑President Éric Houndété has decided to give up his place to Jude Lodjou, his usual substitute, who is now the lead candidate in the fifth constituency. Second Vice‑President Nourénou Atchadé was unable to validate his file due to an administrative impediment. As for Léon Ahossi, third Vice‑President, he lined up behind the movement’s presidential candidate, a choice that effectively removes him from the list.

Six other MPs have joined the ranks of Up‑R and BR, confirming internal shifts that weaken the opposition while consolidating its hard core.

Despite the legal requirement providing for one female seat per constituency, the party’s list remains very male. Outside of the twenty‑four reserved seats, only one woman appears as a primary candidate among the eighty‑five remaining seats. That is Hélène Olossoumaï, reselected in the sixth constituency.

The six other candidates outside the quota are listed as substitutes. The party is fielding fifty‑five women out of a total of 218 candidacies, or about one quarter.

By contrast, the party presents a younger profile than its competitors. An average age of forty‑eight reflects a deliberate renewal, with even stronger gains in certain areas.

Les Démocrates thus present a team combining continuity, youth and reconfiguration, at a time when the political landscape is gearing up for a high‑stakes election