COTONOU, Benin – Hours after polling stations closed across the West African nation of Benin on Sunday, election officials have begun tallying ballots for the first round of the country’s 2026 presidential election, according to on-the-ground observations from Xinhua News Agency in Cotonou, Benin’s economic hub.
All 16,000+ polling stations opened punctually at 7 a.m. local time and wrapped up voting operations by 4 p.m., triggering the immediate start of the counting process as outlined in Benin’s electoral regulations. Sacca Lafia, president of Benin’s Autonomous National Electoral Commission (ANEC), the independent body overseeing the nation’s elections, confirmed that preliminary general results trends will be released to the public within 48 hours of polling station closure.
Nearly 7.9 million registered voters were eligible to cast ballots in this election, which will select a new head of state to succeed outgoing President Patrice Talon, whose five-year term is set to conclude on May 23. Under Benin’s constitution, the president and vice president are elected via direct universal suffrage to serve a single seven-year term.
Just two candidate tickets are contesting the top office this cycle. The ruling coalition’s ticket is led by incumbent Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, with running mate Mariam Chabi Talata, the current vice president of Benin’s National Assembly. Challenging them is the opposition ticket from Cowry Forces for an Emerging Benin, headlined by party leader Paul Hounkpe and his running mate Rock Hounwanou.
Wadagni has centered his campaign on his track record over the past decade leading Benin’s finance ministry, highlighting the country’s consistent economic expansion under his oversight. Benin posted 7% gross domestic product growth in 2025, cementing its position as one of West Africa’s most stable and high-performing economies. If no candidate earns an absolute majority of valid votes in Sunday’s first round, a runoff election between the top two finishers will be held on May 10.
Reports from polling stations across Cotonou and its surrounding suburbs, visited by Xinhua correspondents, confirm that voting proceeded without major incidents, unfolding smoothly and peacefully across all monitored sites. Armand Bognon, a representative of a local civil society observer platform that deployed 1,721 independent observers nationwide – 1,200 assigned to fixed polling posts and 521 mobile monitors to cross-check multiple locations – confirmed that voting operations launched on time across every region of the country.
While the process remained orderly, voter turnout was relatively low through the morning and midday hours, with many voters arriving later in the day than expected. Multiple polling stations reported moderate attendance throughout the day, with a number of electors opting to attend Sunday religious services before casting their ballots.
Outgoing President Talon cast his own vote at a Cotonou polling station, and spoke to reporters after voting, expressing broad satisfaction with the calm, collaborative atmosphere that marked the election. “Since late last year, we have completed a full cycle of electoral processes to renew the country’s political leadership across legislative, municipal and now presidential levels,” Talon said. “What I have observed is not just an extraordinary atmosphere, but one marked by fraternity and conviviality.”
He added, “This gives us confidence that Benin is evolving and reaching a new stage in its history. Whoever wins this election will take the country even further. For me, the best is yet to come for Benin.”