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Benin Government 2016
https://allcountries.org/world_fact_book_2016/benin/benin_government.html
SOURCE: 2016 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK AND OTHER SOURCES
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Benin Government 2016
SOURCE: 2016 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK AND OTHER SOURCES

Page last updated on February 11, 2016

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Benin
conventional short form: Benin
local long form: Republique du Benin
local short form: Benin
former: Dahomey
etymology: named after the Bight of Benin, the body of water on which the country lies

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Porto-Novo (official capital); note - Cotonou (seat of government)
geographic coordinates: 6 29 N, 2 37 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
12 departments; Alibori, Atacora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Couffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou

Independence:
1 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
National Day, 1 August (1960)

Constitution:
previous 1946, 1958 (preindependence); latest adopted by referendum 2 December 1990, promulgated 11 December 1990 (2015)

Legal system:
civil law system modeled largely on the French system and some customary law

International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship:
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Benin
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
[see also: Suffrage country ranks ]

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006); Prime Minister Lionel ZINSOU (since 18 June 2015)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in two rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); last held on 13 March 2011 (next to be held 28 February 2016)
election results: Thomas YAYI Boni reelected president; percent of vote - Thomas YAYI Boni (FCBE) 53.1%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI (PRD) 35.6%, Abdoulaye Bio TCHANE 6.1%, other 5.2%

Legislative branch:
description: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
elections: last held on 26 April 2015 (next to be held in April 2019)
election results: percent of vote by party - FCBE 30.2%, UN 14.4%, PRD 10.6%, AND 7.6%, RB-RP 7.1%, other 30.1%; seats by party - FCBE 33, UN 13, PRD 10, AND 5, RB-RP 7, other 15

Judicial branch:
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of the court president and 3 chamber presidents organized into an administrative division, judicial chamber, and chamber of accounts); Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle (consists of 7 members including the court president); High Court of Justice (consists of the Constitutional Court members, 6 members appointed by the National Assembly, and the Supreme Court president); note - jurisdiction of the High Court of Justice is limited to cases of high treason by the national president or members of the government
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president and judges appointed by the national president upon the advice of the National Assembly; judges appointed for single renewable 5-year terms; Constitutional Court members - 4 appointed by the National Assembly and 3 by the national president; members appointed for single renewable 5-year terms; High Court of Justice "other" members elected by the National Assembly; member tenure NA
subordinate courts: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; district courts; village courts; Assize courts

Political parties and leaders:
African Movement for Development and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN] Benin Renaissance or RB [Nicephore SOGLO] Cowrie Force for an Emerging Benin or FCBE [Yayi BONI] Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI] National Alliance for Development and Democracy (Alliance nationale pour le developpement et la democratie) or AND Patriotic Awakening or RP [Janvier YAHOUEDEOU] Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Dominique HOUNGNINOU] Social Democrat Party or PSD [Emmanuel GOLOU] Sun Alliance or AS [Sacca LAFIA] Union for Democracy and National Solidarity or UDS [Sacca LAFIA] Union Makes the Nation or UN [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI] (superceded Alliance for Dynamic Democracy or ADD) United Democratic Forces or FDU [ lMathurin NAGO]
note: approximately 20 additional minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: economic groups; environmentalists; political groups; teachers' unions and other educational groups

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Omar AROUNA (since 21 May 2014)
chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656
FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lucy TAMLYN (since 8 November 2015)
embassy: Caporal Bernard Anani, 01 BP 2012, Cotonou
mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou
telephone: [229] 21-30-06-50
FAX: [229] 21-30-66-82

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a vertical green band on the hoist side; green symbolizes hope and revival, yellow wealth, and red courage
note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia

National symbol(s):
leopard; national colors: green, yellow, red

National anthem:
name: "L'Aube Nouvelle" (The Dawn of a New Day)
lyrics/music: Gilbert Jean DAGNON
note: adopted 1960


NOTE: The information regarding Benin on this page is re-published from the 2016 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Benin Government 2016 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Benin Government 2016 should be addressed to the CIA.


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