Benin report - Institut Africain de la Gouvernance

CHAPTER THREE: DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL GOVERNANCE__________________________________________________________________________system. These include: clandestine financing of campaigns and moneymaking,mass circulation of monies, lobbying, interference by traditional leaders andreligious bodies during campaigns to influence choices, vote bargaining andalliances, politicisation, failure by CENA and the public administration toremain neutral, shortcomings in the organisation of the elections, variousfraudulent acts, and others.Box 3.3: Mastering the financing of electionsMastering the financing of elections in Benin has become an issue of concern, especiallyagainst a backdrop of economic crisis and endemic poverty. Indeed, since the advent ofdemocratic renewal, the cost of elections has been rising at an alarming rate. From 3.2 billionCFA franc in 1996 to 9.7 billion CFA franc in 2001, it climbed to 31.7 billion CFA franc (48.78million euros) in 2006. These figures are only for the presidential election, and amount to twoand six times the combined cost of the last presidential and legislative elections held in Maliand Niger respectively – both of which have larger populations. The organisation of electionshas become a quick way of making money, and many are cashing in. Over-invoicing,corruption, embezzlement and all forms of excesses have become the order of the day.These practices were recently denounced by the Council of Ministers, which has becomeaware of this electoral waste. The APR Panel is calling on the authorities to consider quicklyways and means of controlling the financing of future elections.160. The Constitutional Court is responsible for the control of electoral disputesduring presidential and legislative elections. It ruled on 18 cases for thepresidential election in 1996, on 67 cases in 2001 and on 26 cases in 2006. TheSupreme Court rules on electoral disputes during municipal elections. Thesecourts have made many rulings independently, although such rulings may havecaused considerable controversy. The Constitutional Court‟s power overnational elections, including presidential elections, has been contested bycertain stakeholders, who condemn it for being a judge in its own causebecause of its involvement in the supervision of the electoral process.161. A survey published in June 2007 shows 60.3% of respondents expressingsatisfaction at how elections are run in Benin, with 27.09% saying they are notsatisfied. This means that most people are happy with the country‟s electoralsystem and democracy.162. This, however, does not mean that the people are satisfied with the politicalparties (whose actions have come under considerable criticism), or with thepoliticians for that matter. Rather, the dissatisfaction is mitigated by theculture of tolerance of the country‟s citizens; the important role of democraticvigilance; and the participation of a very dynamic civil society, which isinterested in the management of public affairs (there are more than 6,000registered NGOs, some of which are highly rated). Civil society plays animportant role in promoting and entrenching a democratic culture and seems tobe replacing political parties as organisers of the country‟s political life. Civilsociety also contributes greatly to the fight against poverty at the grass-rootslevel.81