2026 presidential election: no candidacy files at CENA three days after the opening

Despite the visible on-site presence of a team dedicated to receiving and registering candidacies, potential candidates are slow to show up at CENA’s headquarters in Cotonou.

According to the official electoral calendar, the candidate submission period will end on Tuesday, October 14 at midnight. After that deadline, no applications will be accepted.

The situation raises questions: is it a simple delay in party mobilization, a political strategy, or apprehension about the administrative requirements?
In any case, the next 48 hours will be decisive for the formal launch of the presidential race.