Benin — 2026 presidential elections: internal tension within the LD party before the Court

The issue of self-sponsorship continues to fuel political debate. After bringing the matter before the Constitutional Court, MPs Éric Houndété and Joël Godonou, both members of the party Les Démocrates (LD), ultimately decided to withdraw.

In the appeal filed with the Constitutional Court, the two parliamentarians denounce the discrimination they claim to be suffering within their political party because of self-sponsorship ahead of the 2026 presidential elections.

Asked about the matter during a meeting with elected officials, the director of elections suggested that anyone who can vote for themselves can self-sponsor. These remarks were contested by a group of jurists before the high court.

This legal uncertainty fuels controversy within Les Démocrates, whose leaders suspect traps intended to invalidate their candidacy should they designate a deputy. Directly concerned by the issue, the two parliamentarians took the matter to the Court before withdrawing after the institution declared it lacked jurisdiction following the jurists’ appeal.

The two MPs’ withdrawal is seen as a decision that is more of a tactical maneuver than a genuine renunciation.

As a reminder, the Constitutional Court had already ruled on a similar petition in its decision EP 25-002 of October 9, 2025, specifying that it could only rule on the question of self-sponsorship in the case of a self-referral or within the context of an actual electoral dispute. In short, the two MPs’ appeal had, legally, little chance of succeeding.