This post discusses the national assembly of Benin, the history of the assembly, the electoral system, politics and the building.
INTRODUCTION
The National Assembly in Porto-Novo as it exists today was formed in 1990. The current National Assembly has 109 members, who are directly elected through a system of party-list proportional representation and serve five-year terms. The unicameral National Assembly is Benin’s legislative body.
HISTORY
The first parliament of an independent Benin was defined by the Constitution of 28 February 1959 and lasted from April 1959 to November 1960. It was chaired by Justin Ahomadegbé Tomètin. With a 1960 and a 1964 constitution, two new National Assemblies were enacted each time. The implementation of the Basic Law of 9 September 1977 radically altered the parliament. It was renamed the Revolutionary National Assembly (ANR) and lasted until February 1990. The High Council of the Republic was formed in February 1990 to democratize the country and was chaired by Archbishop Isidore de Souza. A new constitution was passed on 11 December 1990 which formed the basic structure of the current assembly.
ELECTORAL SYSTEM
The 109 members of the National assembly are directly elected by the people in a party-list proportional representation system, with 24 multi-member constituencies that correspond to the departments of Benin. Parties select as many candidates as there are seats to be filled, and vacancies are filled by substitutes. They serve five-year terms, and the most recent election was in 2019. To be eligible to vote in Benin, a person must be at least 18 years old, a Beninese citizen, fully possess civil and political rights, and not be convicted of a crime that merits a punishment of three months in prison, in contempt of court, or have an undischarged bankruptcy. Each candidate for the Assembly must be at least 25 years of age, a resident of Benin for at least a year, and a Beninese citizen by birth or a naturalized immigrant who has resided in the country for at least ten years. Being convicted of electoral fraud or guardianship disqualifies a person from running.
POLITICS
In the 2015 election, Cauri Forces for an Emerging Benin retained 33 seats. They were the main party supporting President Thomas Boni Yayi. The two largest opposition parties were the Union Makes the Nation (UN) with 13 seats and the Party for Democratic Renewal (PRD) with 10. Six MPs are female, while 77 are male. Coalition building is essential. The main political issue facing the Assembly in recent years has been a proposal to amend the Constitution to allow Presidents to serve more than two terms, which has failed to receive enough support.
Read: PAST PRESIDENTS OF BENIN TILL DATE
Adrien Houngbédji was elected as President of the National Assembly on the night of 19–20 May 2015; as the candidate representing the opposition, he received 42 votes.
Members of Parliament receive a salary of 193,291 francs per month with an additional allowance of 373,003 francs per month. MPs must attend plenary sittings and committee meetings. MPs who miss one third of meetings may receive a hefty fine and be suspended for up to a year.
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY BUILDING
Having outgrown its current building, which dates back to the colonial era of its past, the parliament of the Republic of Benin has entrusted Kéré Architecture to design a new national assembly that will embody the values of democracy and the cultural identity of its citizens.
Read: POLITICAL HISTORY OF BENIN
The project takes inspiration from the palaver tree, the age-old West African tradition of meeting under a tree to make consensual decisions in the interest of a community. The palaver tree is a timeless symbol, having borne witness to previous generations and inspiring respect for the majestic forces of nature.
The assembly hall is located on the ground floor, its spectacular ceiling created by the dynamic reach of the structure, which supports the functions above. The crown is comprised of offices and auxiliary functions, set back from the deep façade, which filters the strong sunlight. The trunk is hollow, creating a central courtyard that allows circulation spaces to be naturally ventilated and indirect light to penetrate the plan. A spiral staircase in its center connects the assembly hall on the ground floor to the offices above. On the top floor, a roof terrace offers sweeping views over the city and the lagoon in the distance.
A large part of the site is dedicated to a public park, which will showcase Benin’s native flora while providing Porto-Novo with an extensive recreation space. To create a sense of openness and transparency, the park will extend to the foot of the palaver tree, offering a generous shaded space where citizens can gather and deliberate, analogous to the assembly hall on the opposite side.
In the southeast corner of the site, a public square mark the civic façade of the building, across from the former national assembly where Benin’s independence was historically declared. Further facilities for government services are integrated into the park’s topography with planted roofs, and form a façade along the southern limit of the site.