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With just two weeks remaining until Benin's presidential election, incumbent finance minister Romuald Wadagni and opposition candidate Paul Hounkpé have kicked off their campaigns. The upcoming poll will mark the fifth democratic leadership change in the country.

Presidential Candidates Launch Campaigns

With just two weeks to go until Benin's presidential elections, the two candidates vying for the country's top job have officially kicked off their campaigns. Incumbent finance minister Romuald Wadagni is considered a strong favorite to win against opposition candidate and seasoned politician, Paul Hounkpé. Speaking to supporters in Cotonou on Friday, Hounkpé emphasized that 'the match isn't over' and that 'this isn't a friendly match, it's a serious match.' He added that if nothing changes in the next two weeks, or if a vote were held today, they would be the winners.

Marking a Democratic Transition

This April poll will mark the fifth democratic change of leadership in Benin since the start of multi-party democracy in the 1990s. The other major opposition party, the Democrats, was sidelined from the polls after failing to gather enough signatures. While it initially stated it would not support either of the candidates, several of its senior figures have since thrown their support behind Wadagni. Patrice Talon, who served two five-year terms as president, is not allowed to stand again.

*Source: YouTube: africanews (2026-03-27)*

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