“The internal regulations of the Senate must be validated by the Constitutional Court,” Théodore Holo

In Benin, the Senate cannot operate without its internal regulations. With just a few days before the official installation of the new chamber of Parliament, scheduled for July 30 in Porto-Novo, Théodore Holo reminded that one of the first steps awaiting the senators is this task. The legal member of the Senate indicated that the adoption of the internal regulations will occur after the official installation of the institution.

“After the installation, it could be discussed because it is necessary to adopt internal regulations ,” he stated on Bip radio. However, this vote alone will not make the text immediately applicable. According to the former president of the Constitutional Court, the regulation must first be submitted to the review of the high court.

“ The internal regulations must be validated by the Constitutional Court within a certain timeframe. But at least, the Senate will be installed ,” he specified. This procedure is provided for by the revised Constitution. Once installed, the Senate will need to adopt an internal regulation to govern its functioning. This document will specify the organization of parliamentary work, the procedures for holding sessions, the creation of permanent committees, voting procedures, as well as the rights and obligations of senators.

Before coming into force, the text will be submitted to the Constitutional Court, which is responsible for verifying its compliance with the Constitution. This review aims to ensure that the operational rules of the new institution respect constitutional provisions.

The Senate, established by the constitutional revision of 2025, will hold its inaugural session on July 30, 2026, at the Palace of Governors in Porto-Novo. The adoption and subsequent validation of its internal regulations are among the first steps that will allow the second chamber of Parliament to effectively start its activities.