BENIN
Keys events
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BENINKeys events
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1960 (1
August) |
Independence
of the Republic of Dahomey. Hubert Maga President of the Republic. |
1960 (25
November) |
Constitution
adopted. |
1960 (11
December) |
General
elections. Victory of the Dahomey Unity Party (Parti dahoméen de l’Unité -
PDU), born of the union between Sourou Migan Apithy’s Party of Dahomey Nationalists (Parti
des nationalistes de Dahomey - PND) and Hubert Maga’s Dahomey Democratic Rally (Rassemblement
Démocratique Dahoméen – RDD). |
1963
(October) |
Strikes
and demonstrations. |
1963 (28
October) |
Hubert
Maga overthrown. Colonel Christophe Soglo takes over power. |
1963
(December) |
Sourou
Migan Apithy becomes President of the Republic, Justin
Ahomadebgé Prime Minister and Vice President. |
1964 (5
January) |
The
new Constitution adopted by referendum. |
1965 (29
November) |
Resignation
of Sourou Migan Apithy. The creation of a new government is entrusted to the President of
the National Assembly, Tahirou Congacou. |
1965 (22
December) |
General
Soglo seizes power. |
1967 (17
December) |
Military
coup d’état led by Commander Kouandété. A government is created under the
leadership of Lieutenant-Colonel Alley. |
1968 (26
June) |
After
the boycott of the elections, the Revolutionary Military Committee (Comité Militaire
Révolutionnaire - CMR) invests Dr Emile Derlin Zinsou. |
1969 (10
December) |
Lieutenant-Colonel
Kouandété dismisses Dr Zinsou. A military triumvirate governs the country. |
1970
(March) |
Presidential
election, cancelled in April. |
1970 (7
May) |
Formation
of a three-member Presidential Council – Mr Apithy, Mr Maga and Mr Ahomadebgé, with
a revolving presidency. Mr Maga is the first President for a period of two years, followed
by Mr Ahomadébgé. |
1972 (26
October) |
Another
military coup d’état brings Commander Mathieu Kérékou to power. |
1973
(December) |
Creation
of the National Council of the Revolution (Conseil National de la Révolution -
CNR). |
1974 (30
November) |
Official
declaration of the adoption of Marxism-Leninism. |
1975 (30
November) |
Proclamation
of the Peoples Republic of Benin.
Foundation of the single party, the Party of the Beninese People’s Revolution (Parti
de la Révolution Populaire Béninoise - PRPB). |
1977 (16
January) |
Airborne
attack on Cotonou Airport by a group of mercenaries (including Bob Denard). |
1977 (26
August) |
Adoption
of the Constitution. |
1979
(November) |
General
elections. Large majority for party candidates. |
1980 (6
February) |
Mathieu
Kérékou elected President of the Republic by the National Revolutionary Assembly. |
1984 (31
August) |
Mathieu
Kérékou re-elected. |
1987 |
Economic
crisis, student unrest and protests against the military. |
1988
(March-June) |
Two
military plots foiled. |
1988
(September) |
Creation
of a State Security Court (Cour de Sûreté de l’Etat). |
1989 (2
August) |
Mathieu
Kérékou re-elected. |
1989
(November) |
General
strike. |
1989
(December) |
Benin
drops Marxist-Leninist ideology. |
1990
(February) |
Constitution
suspended. |
1990 (19-28
February) |
National
Conference in Cotonou (488
delegates). Establishes the principles of the future Constitution. |
1990 (9
March) |
Creation
of the High Council for the Republic (Haut Conseil pour la République – HCR)
counting 4 ex-Presidents among its members – Hubert Maga, Justin Ahomadebgé, Emile
Derlin Zindou, Tahirou Congacou. The HCR takes over legislative power. |
1990 (12
March) |
The
HCR appoints Nicéphore Soglo Prime Minister. |
1990 (2
December) |
Adoption
by referendum of the draft Constitution creating a presidential regime and a multi-party
system. |
1991 (2
February) |
General
elections. |
1991 (24
March) |
Nicéphore
Soglo elected President of the Republic. |
1993 (7
June) |
Constitutional
Court set up. |
1995 (28
March) |
General
elections. Victory of the opponents of Nicéphore Soglo (Democratic Renewal Party - Parti
du Renouveau Démocratique - PRD). |
1995
(November) |
Arrests
of members of the military. Rumours of an attempted coup d’état. |
1996 (3/18
March) |
Presidential
election. General Mathieu Kérékou elected with 52.49% of the votes ahead
of Nicéphore Soglo. |
1996 (9
April) |
Formation
of the government composed of 18 members from different political parties. Adrien
Hougbédji appointed Prime Minister (post that does not exist in the Presidential-type
Constitution). |
1998 (8
May) |
Resignation
of Prime Minister Adrien Hougbédji and of the three other ministers from his party, the
PRD. |
1998 (15
May) |
Formation
of the second Kérékou government composed of 18 ministers, 13 of which were not in the
previous government. 4 women but no Prime Minister. |
1998 (7
June) |
New
Constitutional Court set up by the Head of State. |
1999 (30
March) |
General
elections. The opposition wins 42 seats out of 83. |
1999 (22
June) |
Mathieu
Kérékou forms a new government. |
2000 (19
December) |
Two
new electoral laws adopted. |
2001 (4
March) |
Presidential
election. |
|
Up-date
currently in preparation. |
Sources
used |
Afrique
contemporaine, quarterly
review (La Documentation Française) AFP
Afrique: daily
news bulletin from Africa –Agence France Presse Press
Files from the CEAN
Document Centre.
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BENIN |
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