Benin – 2026 legislative elections: FCBE kick things off by submitting the first candidate lists to CENA
The party Forces Cauris pour un Bénin Émergent (FCBE) was the first to complete the submission of its candidate list on Wednesday, 19 November 2025, at the CENA headquarters. A delegation led by Paul Hounkpè completed the formality on the final day set for registering files ahead of the January 2026 legislative elections.
The race for the January 2026 legislative elections officially opened this Wednesday with the first candidacy file. The Forces Cauris pour un Bénin Émergent (FCBE) were the first to submit their candidate list to the CENA. The move confirms the party’s participation in the electoral contest, just hours before the deadline.
Led by the former leader of the opposition, Paul Hounkpè, the FCBE delegation arrived at the institution’s headquarters in the morning. Alongside him, Idrissou Bako, national secretary for electoral affairs, responsible for ensuring the files’ compliance, supervised the submission of the lists of primary candidates, alternates and those reserved for women.
This was a filing made at the limit of the legal deadline. Political parties have until midnight on Wednesday, 19 November 2025 to submit all documents required by the Electoral Code.