Bruno Amoussou

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Bruno Ange-Marie Amoussou (born 2 July 1939 in Djakotomey) is a Beninese politician and leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD). He was the President of the National Assembly from April 1995 to April 1999[1] and Minister of State in charge of Planning and Prospective Development under President Mathieu Kérékou from 1999 to 2005.[2]

Amoussou was re-elected to the National Assembly in the March 1999 parliamentary election,[3] but on April 29, 1999, he was defeated in his bid for re-election as President of the National Assembly by Adrien Houngbédji in a parliamentary vote, despite being the favored candidate of Kérékou for the position. Amoussou received 38 votes against 45 for Houngbédji.[4]

Amoussou has contested all four presidential elections since democratic rule was reintroduced in 1990. In 1991, he received 5.8 % of the vote and fourth place, therefore failing to qualify for the second round. In 1996, he also placed fourth with 7.8 % of the vote;[5] along with third place finisher Houngbédji, Amoussou backed Kérékou against president Nicéphore Soglo for the second round of the election, and Kérékou was victorious.[6] In the first round of the 2001 election, he placed fourth yet again with 8.6 % of the vote, but participated in the runoff when the second- and third-placed candidates, Soglo and Houngbédji, withdrew from the race. Running against heavily-favored incumbent Kérékou, to whom he had previously given his support for the second round, Amoussou received nearly 16 % of the vote.[5][7]

Amoussou ran again in the March 2006 presidential election, obtaining about 16% of the vote and coming in third place.[5][8] He supported Yayi Boni in the second round.[8]

In the March 2007 parliamentary election, Amoussou and the PSD participated in the Alliance for a Dynamic Democracy,[9] and Amoussou was again elected to a seat.[10] Afterwards he was again a candidate for President of the National Assembly, losing to Mathurin Nago of the Cauris Forces for an Emerging Benin in a vote on May 3, 2007. Amoussou received 34 votes, while Nago received 45.[11][12]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Benin government page on former presidents of the National Assembly.
  2. ^ Willéandre Houngbedji, "Bruno AMOUSSOU: Vaincre ou périr!", L'Araignee (Africatime.com), March 3, 2006 (French).
  3. ^ Results of the 1999 parliamentary election, bj.refer.org (French).
  4. ^ Benin, Year in Review: 1999, Britannica.com.
  5. ^ a b c Elections in Benin, African Elections Database.
  6. ^ Samuel Decalo, "Benin: First of the New Democracies", in Political Reform in Francophone Africa (1997), page 61, note 21.
  7. ^ "Benin finally votes for president", CNN.com, March 22, 2001.
  8. ^ a b "Rejecting appeal, government sets poll for 19 March", IRIN, March 18, 2006.
  9. ^ Alain C. Assogba, "Conclave à Cotonou hier : L’Add passe à l’offensive (Elle veut constituer sa propre majorité)", La Nouvelle Tribune (BeninInfo.com), April 6, 2007.
  10. ^ "Proclamation des résultats des élections législatives du 31 mars 2007", BeninInfo.com (French).
  11. ^ "Benin : Mathurin Nago elected Parliament speaker", African Press Agency, May 3, 2007.
  12. ^ "Election du bureau de l’Assemblée nationale : Comment Yayi Boni a gagné le perchoir", Le Matinal (africatime.com), May 4, 2007 (French).
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