Benin: LD party challenges the candidate list published by CENA before the Court
In Benin, the Autonomous National Electoral Commission (CENA) published, on Thursday 23 October 2025, the provisional list of candidate duos authorized to take part in the 2026 presidential election.
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In a major surprise, the duo Renaud Agbodjo – Jude Lodjou, designated by the party Les Démocrates, does not appear on this first list.
According to CENA’s report, the files submitted by representatives of the main opposition party were declared inadmissible for lack of the required number of valid endorsements.
The Agbodjo-Lodjou duo reportedly obtained only 27 endorsements, one short of the 28 needed to validate a presidential candidacy. This shortfall would be due to the last-minute withdrawal of a sponsoring MP.
As it stands, only two duos are retained: that of the presidential majority and that of the Forces cauris pour un Bénin émergent (FCBE), considered a moderate opposition.
In accordance with the electoral code, CENA specifies that rejected candidates have 48 hours to file an appeal with the Constitutional Court, which is competent to rule on any electoral dispute.
A senior official of the party Les Démocrates moreover confirmed that the political formation intends to challenge this provisional list before the High Court. According to insiders, an appeal has reportedly already been filed with the Court following the meeting between Patrice Talon and his predecessor Boni Yayi.