Patrice Talon at the head of the Senate: “Has there really been an alternation?”, asks Jean-Baptiste Elias.

Jean-Baptiste Elias does not hide his discomfort following the election of Patrice Talon as President of the Senate. Invited to speak during a debate dedicated to “the Rule of Law and Political Alternation in Africa,” the president of the National Organizations Front Against Corruption (FONAC) offered a critical reading of the new institutional configuration in Benin.

“Tonight, I am sad,” he stated at the beginning of his remarks. For him, Benin had established itself since the National Conference of 1990 as one of the African countries regularly cited for its practice of alternation and its commitment to the rule of law.

The transfer of power between Patrice Talon and Romuald Wadagni on May 24, 2026, seemed to position the country in this continuity. Before his departure, Patrice Talon had publicly reaffirmed that he would leave the presidency at the end of his second term.

However, for Jean-Baptiste Elias, the arrival of the former head of state at the head of the Senate, just weeks after his departure from the Marina Palace, requires looking at alternation beyond just the change of president of the republic.

“Has there really been alternation?” he questioned.

“He left to stay better”

The former official of the African Union also points out the presence, in the leadership of the new chamber, of several personalities who held significant positions under Patrice Talon’s presidency. He notably mentions Louis Vlavonou, former President of the National Assembly, who has become Vice-President of the Senate, as well as Alassane Seidou and Adidjatou Mathys. The latter two are among the individuals officially appointed on July 1, 2026, to sit in the new institution, Alassane Seidou representing former high officials of the Defense and Security Forces and Adidjatou Mathys on behalf of the National Assembly.

For Jean-Baptiste Elias, this concentration of former officials from the previous government in the Senate’s leadership raises questions about the effective renewal of decision-making centers. He claims to have been approached by several African interlocutors with whom he has maintained relations since his time at the head of the African Union Advisory Council on Corruption. According to his account, some summarized the Beninese situation with a phrase: “He left to stay better.”

The criticism made by Jean-Baptiste Elias does not directly concern the legal regularity of the election of Patrice Talon. It is more about its political significance and the powers granted to the Senate by the constitutional revision of 2025. The new chamber includes ex officio members, among whom are the former presidents of the republic Patrice Talon, Boni Yayi, and Nicéphore Soglo, as well as former presidents of the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court who meet the criteria set by the Constitution. These members are joined by personalities designated by the President of the Republic and the National Assembly.

For Jean-Baptiste Elias, it is precisely the importance given to this institution in regulating political life that makes the question of its leadership particularly sensitive. The Senate is notably responsible for contributing to political stability, the preservation of national unity, and the respect of the political truce.

His intervention is part of a broader reflection on the evolution of African democracies. Jean-Baptiste Elias cited several countries he views as examples of alternation, including Senegal, Ghana, Botswana, Mauritius, Cape Verde, and Zambia, while mentioning other states where the renewal of power remains much more limited.

For him, the Beninese case takes on a particular dimension due to the democratic image built by the country since 1990. The change that occurred at the presidency of the republic does not suffice, in his view, to close the debate on alternation if the main institutional centers remain occupied by figures from the previous power.

However, the discussion revealed another approach: the rule of law and electoral alternation do not, by themselves, guarantee stability and development. Several speakers emphasized the need for institutions that respond to social aspirations, a stronger civic culture, and responsible participation from citizens.

For Jean-Baptiste Elias, the new configuration of the Senate nevertheless raises a central question: Has Benin only changed presidents or has it truly experienced political alternation?