Benin: full internal regulations of the Senate (PDF)

The Senate is made up of ex officio members and appointed members. Former elected Presidents of the Republic are ex officio members, as are former elected presidents of the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court who served at least half of their term. Five senior figures who previously held command positions in the defence and security forces are appointed by the President of the Republic. Additional appointments are предусмотрed when the minimum of 25 senators is not reached.

Ex officio members are not subject to a term limit. The other senators are appointed for renewable five-year terms. The text also sets an age limit of 85 for serving senators, while specifying that this rule will not apply during the first five years after the first Senate is installed.

The Senate sits in Cotonou, although meetings may be held elsewhere in Benin when circumstances require it. Its Bureau is made up of the president, vice-president and rapporteur. The president and vice-president must be chosen from among the ex officio members. The president leads the institution, chairs sessions, oversees the administration and manages the budget, while also representing the Senate in national political life and in relations with other institutions.

Download the full PDF below.