Benin: Kamel Bio Sika Ouassagari’s concerns about the Senate

During the debate on the rule of law and political alternation in Africa held on Thursday, August 6, 2026, in Cotonou by the Institute of Justice and Peace Artisans (IAJP/Co), former deputy of the Les Démocrates party, Kamel Bio Sika Ouassagari, expressed strong concerns about the establishment of the new upper chamber of Parliament.

Speaking a few hours after the installation of the first Senate bureau, the former parliamentarian raised reservations about the extent of the powers granted to the 25 members of the institution.

According to his analyses, the allocation of such broad prerogatives to a small group of individuals could have undesirable effects on the democratic space in Benin. In terms of concern, the former parliamentarian mentions the inhibition of freedom of expression. He believes there is a potential risk of seeing fundamental freedoms of opinion and expression gradually restricted under the weight of senatorial regulation.

Kamel Bio Sika Ouassagari also mentions the complicating of the adversarial debate, with increased difficulties for civil society and the opposition to provide constructive criticism of the actions of public authorities.

​A Major Transformation of the Parliamentary Landscape

​Emerging from the constitutional revision voted in December 2025, the advent of the Senate marks Benin’s transition to a bicameral parliamentary system.

By joining nations on the continent with a similar structure such as Côte d’Ivoire, Morocco, or Nigeria, Benin is reshuffling its political governance, a change viewed by some in the opposition as a challenge to the balance of power.