Benin’s 2026 presidential election: The Democrats willing to meet Paul Hounkpè’s FCBE

The opposition party Les Démocrates has announced its willingness to engage with Force cauris pour un Bénin émergent (FCBE), led by Paul Hounkpè, a candidate in the presidential election scheduled for April 12, 2026.

This decision follows a meeting of the party’s national coordination held on Friday, March 13, 2026. Following the exchanges, the party’s leaders gave their consent for the party to meet with candidates who would seek dialogue, thus opening the way to a discussion with FCBE.

The initiative for this démarche comes from Paul Hounkpè. In a statement released a few days earlier, FCBE’s national executive secretary called on political forces and actors claiming to be part of the opposition to participate in a consultative meeting.

The announced objective is to create a common framework for dialogue and political action, dubbed « Forces coalisées pour un Bénin émergé ».

According to the project carried by FCBE, this meeting should bring closer the different sensibilities of the opposition and build a collective dynamic ahead of the presidential election.

The envisaged talks could also lead to the adoption of a charter setting out the principles and common commitments of the actors involved in this process of bringing people together.

The willingness shown by Les Démocrates comes in a particular context marked by internal realignments within the party, notably after Boni Yayi’s resignation from the presidency of the political formation.

These potential talks between FCBE and Les Démocrates could thus constitute a new step towards a recomposition of the Beninese opposition landscape a few weeks before the presidential election.