Benin gets a Senate: 25 members, chaired by Patrice Talon

Benin's Parliament now has two chambers. Alongside the National Assembly, a Senate has been sitting since the summer of 2026, one of the main innovations of the 2025 constitutional revision.

A constitutional revision adopted in November 2025

Passed by the National Assembly in mid-November 2025 (90 votes to 19), declared compliant by the Constitutional Court on 12 December and promulgated on 17 December 2025, the revision:

• extends the presidential term to seven years, renewable once, with at most two terms in a lifetime;
• brings the terms of MPs, mayors and municipal councillors to seven years;
• establishes a Senate of at least 25 members, introducing a bicameral system.

Who sits in the Senate?

Senators are not directly elected. The first term has 25 members:

• ex officio members: former Presidents of the Republic, of the National Assembly and of the Constitutional Court who served at least half their term;
• ten figures appointed by the President in the Council of Ministers of 1 July 2026, five of them from the defence and security forces;
• figures appointed by the Speaker of the National Assembly to complete the membership.

Installation and election of the bureau

The Senate was installed on Thursday 30 July 2026 at the Palais des gouverneurs in Porto-Novo. On 6 August 2026, Patrice Talon, President of the Republic from 2016 to 2026, was elected President of the Senate with 24 votes out of 25, for a five-year term. Louis Vlavonou is Vice-President.

What does it do?

The Senate's mission is to regulate political life and preserve national unity, democracy and peace. It may request a second reading of certain laws before promulgation, except finance laws. Holding the Government to account remains the sole prerogative of the National Assembly.

Further reading

• Political life and institutions
• 2026 presidential election and first Wadagni government
• History of Benin

Sources

• Africa Radio — The revised Constitution
• Banouto — Full list of members (31 July 2026)
• Africa24 — The 25 members of the first Senate installed
• SRTB — Patrice Talon heads the Senate