President of Benin

President of the
Republic of Benin
President of the; Republic of Benin
	Flag of Benin
	Incumbent; Patrice Talon; since 6 April 2016
Term length	5 years, renewable once
Inaugural holder	Hubert Maga
Formation	31 December 1960

This is a list of Presidents of Benin (formerly Dahomey) since the formation of the post of President in 1960, to the present day.

A total of seven people have served as President (not counting two Acting Presidents, several interim military officeholders and a collective presidency). Additionally, one person, Mathieu Kérékou, has served on two non-consecutive occasions.

Presidents of Benin

(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)

Colour key (for political parties)
Dahomeyan Democratic Rally Democratic Party People's Revolutionary Party of Benin Benin Rebirth Party Action Front for Renewal and Development Military Independent

Republic of Dahomey

Status

Denotes Acting Head of State

President			Term of office			Political party
№	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Took office	Left office	Duration	Political party
1		Hubert Maga (1916–2000)	1 August 1960	28 October 1963 (Deposed)	3 years, 88 days	Dahomeyan Democratic Rally
style="background:Template:Military Rule/meta/color; color:black;"\|		Christophe Soglo (1909–1983)^[1]	28 October 1963	25 January 1964	89 days	Military
2		Sourou-Migan Apithy (1913–1989)	25 January 1964	27 November 1965 (Resigned)	1 year, 306 days	Democratic Party
—		Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin (1917–2002)	27 November 1965	29 November 1965	2 days	Democratic Party
—		Tahirou Congacou (1913–1994)	29 November 1965	22 December 1965 (Deposed)	23 days	Democratic Party
style="background:Template:Military Rule/meta/color; color:black;"\|3		Christophe Soglo (1909–1983)	22 December 1965	19 December 1967 (Deposed)	1 year, 362 days	Military
style="background:Template:Military Rule/meta/color; color:black;"\|		Jean-Baptiste Hachème (1929–1998)^[2]	19 December 1967	20 December 1967	1 day	Military
style="background:Template:Military Rule/meta/color; color:black;"\|		Maurice Kouandété (1932–2003)^[3]	20 December 1967	21 December 1967	1 day	Military
style="background:Template:Military Rule/meta/color; color:black;"\|		Alphonse Alley (1930–1987)^[3]	21 December 1967	17 July 1968	209 days	Military
style="background:Template:Independent (politician)/meta/color; color:black;"\|4		Émile Derlin Zinsou (1918–)	17 July 1968	10 December 1969 (Deposed)	1 year, 146 days	Independent
style="background:Template:Military Rule/meta/color; color:black;"\|		Maurice Kouandété (1932–2003)^[4]	10 December 1969	13 December 1969	3 days	Military
style="background:Template:Military Rule/meta/color; color:black;"\|		Paul-Émile de Souza (1930–1999)^[5]	13 December 1969	7 May 1970	145 days	Military
		Hubert Maga (1916–2000)^[6]	7 May 1970	7 May 1972	2 years, 0 days	Dahomeyan Democratic Rally
		Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin (1917–2002)^[6]	7 May 1972	26 October 1972 (Deposed)	172 days	Democratic Party
style="background:Template:Military Rule/meta/color; color:black;"\|5		Mathieu Kérékou (1933–2015)	26 October 1972	30 November 1975	3 years, 35 days	Military

People's Republic of Benin

President			Term of office			Political party
№	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Took office	Left office	Duration	Political party
(5)		Mathieu Kérékou (1933–2015)	30 November 1975	1 March 1990	14 years, 120 days	Military / People's Revolutionary Party of Benin

Republic of Benin

President			Term of office			Political party
№	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Took office	Left office	Duration	Political party
(5)		Mathieu Kérékou (1933–2015)	1 March 1990	4 April 1991	1 year, 34 days	People's Revolutionary Party of Benin
6		Nicéphore Soglo (1935–)	4 April 1991	4 April 1996	5 years, 0 days	Benin Rebirth Party
(5)		Mathieu Kérékou (1933–2015)	4 April 1996	6 April 2006	10 years, 2 days	Action Front for Renewal and Development
style="background:Template:Independent (politician)/meta/color; color:black;"\|7		Thomas Boni Yayi (1952–)	6 April 2006	6 April 2016	18 years, 234 days	Independent
style="background:Template:Independent (politician)/meta/color; color:black;"\|8		Patrice Talon (1958–)	6 April 2016	Incumbent	8 years, 234 days	Independent

Footnotes

^ Styled as Head of the Provisional Government
^ Styled as Chairman of the Revolutionary Committee
^ ^a ^b Styled as Head of State
^ Styled as Chief of Staff of the Army
^ Styled as Chairman of the Directory
^ ^a ^b Styled as Chairman of the Presidential Council

Latest election

Candidate	Party	First round		Second round
Candidate	Party	Votes	%	Votes	%
Lionel Zinsou	Cowry Forces for an Emerging Benin	856,218	28.44	1,067,109	34.61
Patrice Talon	Independent	746,798	24.80	2,015,889	65.39
Sébastien Ajavon	Independent	693,492	23.03
Abdoulaye Bio-Tchané	Alliance for a Triumphant Benin	264,515	8.79
Pascal Koupaki	New Consciousness Rally	176,286	5.85
Robert Gbian	Generations for Republican Governance	47,042	1.56
Fernand Amoussou	Alliance of Forces of the Future	35,214	1.17
Issa Salifou	Union for Relief	31,225	1.04
Aké Natonde	Path of Benin	26,463	0.88
Nassirou Bako Arifari	Amana Alliance	19,061	0.63
Mohamed Atao Hinnouho	Résoatao Party	12,009	0.40
Saliou Youssao Aboudou		11,935	0.40
Bertin Koovi	Iroko Alliance	10,645	0.35
Richard Senou		7,924	0.26
Karimou Chabi Sika	Independent	7,236	0.24
Zul-Kifl Salami	National Party of Congress	6,431	0.21
Elisabeth Agbossaga	Union for Development and Reform	5,604	0.19
Zacharie Cyriaque Goudali	6 May Movement	4,793	0.16
Issifou Kogui N'douro	Independent	4,791	0.16
Azizou El-Hadj Issa	Independent	4,077	0.14
Gabriel Ayivi Adjavon		4,040	0.13
Marcel de Souza	Republican Front of Benin	3,927	0.13
Omer Rustique Guezo		3,844	0.13
Jean-Alexandre Hountondji	New March	3,771	0.13
Daniel Edah	Movement for Prosperity and Solidarity	3,555	0.12
Marie-Elise Gbèdo		3,506	0.12
Christian Enock Lagnide		3,174	0.11
Issa Badarou Soule		2,804	0.09
Simon Pierre Adovelande	Independent	2,788	0.09
Moudjaidou Soumanou Issoufou		2,573	0.09
Gatien Houngbedji	Union for Economic and Social Development	2,213	0.07
Kamarou Fassassi	Independent	1,676	0.06
Kessile Tchala Sare		1,258	0.04
Invalid/blank votes			–		–
Total		3,010,888	100	3,082,998	100
Registered voters/turnout		4,702,168		4,702,168
Source: ABP, CENA

External links

World Statesmen (Benin)

[1] Styled as Head of the Provisional Government

[2] Styled as Chairman of the Revolutionary Committee

[head_of_state-3] Styled as Head of State

[4] Styled as Chief of Staff of the Army

[5] Styled as Chairman of the Directory

[presidential_council-6] Styled as Chairman of the Presidential Council

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

v t e Presidents of Benin (list)
Republic of Dahomey (1960–1975)	Maga C. Soglo^† Apithy Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin^* Congacou^* C. Soglo^† Hachème^† Kouandété^† Alley^† Zinsou Kouandété^† de Souza^† Presidential Council Maga Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin Kérékou^†
People's Republic of Benin (1975–1990)	Kérékou
Republic of Benin (1990–present)	Kérékou N. Soglo Kérékou Boni Talon
† Military * Interim