“Let’s take the same ones and start again”: the government stands by the choice of experience for the Senate.

Just a few days after the publication of the list of personalities appointed by President Romuald Wadagni to complete the composition of the first Senate mandate, the debate remains heated. On social media as well as in public discussions, several observers denounce the return of former figures from political life, summarizing their criticism with a phrase that has become common: “We take the same ones and start again.”

Invited on Canal 3, government spokesperson Wilfried Léandre Government defended the philosophy that guided the establishment of this new institution. According to him, the choice of personalities called to sit is not about recycling former officials, but about adhering to the provisions set forth by the Constitution.

The minister first recalled that the Senate includes members by right, among whom are former presidents of the Republic. The Constitution also opens this possibility to former presidents of the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court who have served at least half of their terms.

“The law states, therefore legal prescription, former presidents of the Republic. The same law states that if you have been the president of the National Assembly or the Constitutional Court and have served at least half of the term, you are eligible to sit in the Senate as a member by right,” he explained.

In addition to these members by right, personalities designated by the head of state are added to complete the Senate’s makeup, in accordance with constitutional provisions. For the government spokesperson, the mission assigned to the Senate justifies the inclusion of experienced individuals in public affairs management.

“Why would you deprive yourself of the experience and effectiveness of people who have had the chance to prove themselves?,” he questioned, before adding: “We all know that the experience accumulated by those who have seen so much contributes to their wisdom.”

The minister further believes that the presence of less experienced profiles would also have sparked criticism. “You and I would have been called to the Senate, the public would question (…). But if five, ten, or more who have little life experience were there, we would justifiably question the relevance of the choices,” he asserted.

When asked whether leading an institution is necessarily a guarantee of success, the spokesperson acknowledged that the performance of former leaders remains a topic of debate. However, according to him, this criterion does not justify their presence in the Senate. “That is not what matters today. The key factor is having been president of the Republic,” he stated. “Whether they performed well or not, they have accumulated such a wealth of experiences that their perspective, their insights will be useful within the Senate,” the former journalist continued.

To support his argument, the minister finally recalled that several democracies also grant an institutional position to their former leaders or heads of institutions. According to him, the model adopted by Benin follows the same logic: to make the Senate a chamber where the experience gained at the top of the state can continue to serve the institutions.