At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Benin

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Mathieu KEREKOU
• Head of Government: President Mathieu KEREKOU
• Assembly: Benin has a unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) with 83 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 5-year term.
• In the National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) 83 members are elected by direct popular vote to serve 4-year terms.

Main Candidates in the Second Round of the Presidential race:

• Mathieu KEREKOU
  • Party: Independent Candidate
• Bruni AMOUSSOU
  • Party: The Social Democratic Party

Last Presidential election:

• Presidential elections in Benin were last held on March 18, 1996. Mathieu KEREKOU received 52.49% of the vote, thereby defeating Nicephore SOGLO who received 47.51%.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 6,395,919 (July 2001 est.)
• Registered Voters: 3,152,365

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 3,651,123 (2001)

·         Is Benin a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (11 November 1981)

·         Has Benin ratified CEDAW: Yes (12 March 1992)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 5 (following 1999 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 166 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: High (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Benin a signatory to CRPD: Yes (8 February 2008)

·         Has Benin ratified CRPD: Yes (5 July 2012)

·         Population with a disability: 959,387 (est.)