Benin - Regierung - Profil - 2003

Hauptstadt

Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government

Unabhängigkeit

1 August 1960 (from France)

Nationalfeiertag

National Day, 1 August (1960)

Konstitution

Dezember 1990

Wahlrecht

18 Jahre; universal

Exekutive

Staatsoberhaupt: Staatspräsident Mathieu KEREKOU (seit dem 4 April 1996); note - the president is both the Staatsoberhaupt and Regierungschef
Regierungschef: Staatspräsident Mathieu KEREKOU (seit dem 4 April 1996); note - the president is both the Staatsoberhaupt and Regierungschef
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term; runoff election held 22 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2006)
election results: Mathieu KEREKOU reelected president; percent of vote - Mathieu KEREKOU 84.1%, Bruno AMOUSSOU 15.9%
note: the four top-ranking contenders following the first-round presidential elections were: Mathieu KEREKOU (incumbent) 45.4%, Nicephore SOGOLO (former president) 27.1%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI (National Assembly Speaker) 12.6%, and Bruno AMOUSSOU (Minister of State) 8.6%; the second-round balloting, originally scheduled for 18 March 2001, was postponed four days because both SOGOLO and HOUNGBEDJI withdrew alleging electoral fraud; this left KEREKOU to run against his own Minister of State, AMOUSSOU, in what was termed a "friendly match"