List of presidents of Benin

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

## List of officeholders

[edit]

Political parties

Dahomeyan Unity Party (PDU)

Dahomeyan Democratic Party (PDD)

People's Revolutionary Party of Benin (PRPB)

Benin Rebirth Party (RB)

Action Front for Renewal and Development (FARD–Alafia)

Other factions

Military

Independent

Status

Denotes acting or interim head of state

No. | Portrait  | Name
(Birth–Death) | Elected  | Term of office  | Political affiliation  | Prime minister(s)

|
|
|
|
|
|

Took office  | Left office  | Time in office
Republic of Dahomey (1960–1975)
1  |  | Hubert Maga
(1916–2000) | 1960 | 1 August 1960  | 28 October 1963
(Deposed in a coup) | 3 years, 88 days  | Independent / PDU | Himself
–  |  | Christophe Soglo
(1909–1983)[a] | —  | 28 October 1963  | 25 January 1964  | 89 days  | Military | Position abolished
2  |  | Sourou-Migan Apithy
(1913–1989) | 1964 | 25 January 1964  | 27 November 1965
(Resigned) | 1 year, 306 days  | PDD | Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin
–  |  | Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin
(1917–2002) | —  | 27 November 1965  | 29 November 1965  | 2 days  | PDD | Himself
–  |  | Tahirou Congacou
(1911–1993) | —  | 29 November 1965  | 22 December 1965
(Deposed in a coup) | 23 days  | PDD | Position abolished
3  |  | Christophe Soglo
(1909–1983) | —  | 22 December 1965  | 19 December 1967
(Deposed in a coup) | 1 year, 362 days  | Military | Position abolished
–  |  | Jean-Baptiste Hachème
(1929–1998)[b] | —  | 19 December 1967  | 20 December 1967  | 1 day  | Military | Position abolished
–  |  | Maurice Kouandété
(1932–2003) | —  | 20 December 1967  | 21 December 1967  | 1 day  | Military | Position abolished
–  |  | Alphonse Alley
(1930–1987) | —  | 21 December 1967  | 17 July 1968  | 209 days  | Military | Kouandété
4  |  | Émile Derlin Zinsou
(1918–2016) | 1968 (May)
1968 (Jul) | 17 July 1968  | 10 December 1969
(Deposed in a coup) | 1 year, 146 days  | Independent | Position abolished
–  |  | Maurice Kouandété
(1932–2003)[c] | —  | 10 December 1969  | 13 December 1969  | 3 days  | Military | Position abolished
–  |  | Paul-Émile de Souza
(1930–1999)[d] | —  | 13 December 1969  | 7 May 1970  | 145 days  | Military | Position abolished
1 |  | Hubert Maga
(1916–2000)[e] | —  | 7 May 1970  | 7 May 1972  | 2 years  | Independent | Position abolished
2 |  | Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin
(1917–2002)[e] | —  | 7 May 1972  | 26 October 1972
(Deposed in a coup) | 172 days  | Independent | Position abolished
5  |  | Mathieu Kérékou
(1933–2015) | —  | 26 October 1972  | 30 November 1975  | 3 years, 35 days  | Military | Position abolished
People's Republic of Benin (1975–1990)
(5) |  | Mathieu Kérékou
(1933–2015) | 1980[1]
1984[1]
1989[1] | 30 November 1975  | 1 March 1990  | 14 years, 120 days  | Military[f] / PRPB | Position abolished
Republic of Benin (1990–present)
(5) |  | Mathieu Kérékou
(1933–2015) | —  | 1 March 1990  | 4 April 1991  | 1 year, 34 days  | PRPB / UFP / Independent | Soglo
6  |  | Nicéphore Soglo
(born 1934) | 1991 | 4 April 1991  | 4 April 1996  | 5 years  | RB | Position abolished
(5) |  | Mathieu Kérékou
(1933–2015) | 1996
2001 | 4 April 1996  | 6 April 2006  | 10 years, 2 days  | Independent / FARD–Alafia | Houngbédji
7  |  | Thomas Boni Yayi
(born 1951) | 2006
2011 | 6 April 2006  | 6 April 2016  | 10 years  | Independent
(Affilated with the FCBE)  | Koupaki
Zinsou
8  |  | Patrice Talon
(born 1958) | 2016
2021 | 6 April 2016  | Incumbent  | 9 years, 16 days  | Independent | Position abolished

## Timeline

[edit]

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Styled as Head of the Provisional Government.
2. ^ Styled as Chairman of the Revolutionary Committee.
3. ^ Styled as Chief of Staff of the Army.
4. ^ Styled as Chairman of the Directory.
5. ^ a b Styled as Chairman of the Presidential Council.
6. ^ Retired from the military in 1987, with the rank of a general.[2]

## See also

[edit]

* President of Benin
* Vice President of Benin
* List of prime ministers of Benin
* List of colonial governors of Dahomey
* Politics of Benin

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Elections in Benin African Elections Database
2. ^ "Mathieu Kérékou, Dictator Who Ushered In Democracy in Benin, Dies at 82". The New York Times. 15 October 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2019.

## External links

[edit]

* World Statesmen (Benin)

* 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

* v
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* e

Benin articles

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