Benin: Théodore Holo rules out any postponement of general elections due to insecurity
As the debate over the 2026 general elections in Benin begins to gain traction, former president of the Constitutional Court, Théodore Holo, categorically rejects any idea of postponing the election due to security concerns. In an interview with the media outlet Matin Libre, the constitutionalist believes that such a postponement would only be justified if the insecurity was widespread across the entire national territory, which he claims is not the case.
Théodore Holo – ancien président de la cour constitutionnelle
Théodore Holo is adamant. In Benin, there cannot be a postponement of elections due to insecurity. He notably recalls that countries facing more severe security crises have continued to hold elections. He cites Mali as an example, where jihadism has been a threat for over seven years, and where the security argument cannot be eternally used to delay democratic deadlines. “If we must wait for total security to be restored, there may not be elections for another ten years,” he warns.
“The general elections cannot be postponed, since the insecurity is not total. It concerns a specific area,” he points out.
The former president of the Constitutional Court insists that the authorities must take responsibility to ensure a secure environment conducive to organizing the election. “Even when you’re in power, you can’t just say, ‘There’s insecurity, so I’ll stay in office.’ You need to take measures to create security conditions so elections can take place at their scheduled time,” he states.
He urges a relative perspective on the concept of insecurity, as, in his view, no country is entirely exempt from it. “What country doesn’t experience it? There are degrees of insecurity,” he notes, citing France as an example where acts of violence and attacks have never prevented elections from taking place.
“Benin must not give in to fear”
To reinforce his point, Théodore Holo cites several historical precedents. The United States, in the midst of World War II, maintained its democratic processes. Franklin D. Roosevelt was even re-elected to the presidency for a fourth term due to the exceptional context, before the U.S. Constitution was amended to limit terms to two.
Similarly, Great Britain, though engaged in the same world conflict, held elections during the war. For him, these examples prove that holding elections in a crisis context is neither unprecedented nor impossible.