List of heads of state of Benin

President of the
Republic of Benin

Incumbent
Yayi Boni
since 6 April 2006
Term length 5 years, renewable once
Inaugural holder Hubert Maga
Formation 31 December 1960
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Benin

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This article lists the heads of state of Benin, since the establishment of the office of President in 1960.

Presidents of Benin (1960–present)

(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)

Tenure Portrait Incumbent Affiliation Notes
Republic of Dahomey
(République de Dahomé)		Independent from France
1 August 1960 to 31 December 1960 Coutoucou Hubert Maga, Head of StateRDD
31 December 1960 to 27 October 1963Coutoucou Hubert Maga, President1st Term
27 October 1963 to 28 October 1963Provisional Government:-
Coutoucou Hubert Maga, Head of the Provisional GovernmentRDDDeposed in a coup d'état
Sourou-Migan ApithyPRD
Justin Ahomadegbé-TomêtinUDD
28 October 1963 to 25 January 1964 General Christophe Soglo, Head of the Provisional GovernmentMil1st Term
25 January 1964 to 27 November 1965Sourou-Migan Apithy, PresidentPDForced to resign by Gen. Christophe Soglo
27 November 1965 to 29 November 1965Justin Ahomadegbé-Tomêtin, acting PresidentPD1st Term
29 November 1965 to 22 December 1965 Tahirou Congacou, acting PresidentPD
22 December 1965 to 19 December 1967 General Christophe Soglo, PresidentMil2nd Term
19 December 1967 to 20 December 1967 Jean-Baptiste Hachème, Chairman of the Revolutionary CommitteeMil
20 December 1967 to 21 December 1967Lieutenant-Colonel Iropa Maurice Kouandété, Head of StateMil1st Term
21 December 1967 to 17 July 1968Alphonse Amadou Alley, Head of StateMil
17 July 1968 to 10 December 1969 Émile Derlin Henri Zinsou, PresidentNominated by the military regime; Deposed in a coup d'état
10 December 1969 to 13 December 1969Major Iropa Maurice Kouandété, Chief-of-Staff of the ArmyMil2nd Term
13 December 1969 to 7 May 1970Paul-Émile de Souza, Chairman of the DirectoryMil
7 May 1970 to 7 May 1972Major Coutoucou Hubert Maga, Chairman of the Presidential CouncilRDD2nd Term; Presidential Council formed after Presidential elections abandoned
7 May 1972 to 26 October 1972Justin Ahomadegbé-Tomêtin, Chairman of the Presidential CouncilPD2nd Term; Deposed in a coup d'état
26 October 1972 to 30 November 1975Major Mathieu Kérékou, PresidentMil/PRPB1st Term
People's Republic of Benin  (République populaire du Benin)
30 November 1975 to 1 March 1990General Mathieu Kérékou, PresidentMil/PRPB1st Term
Republic of Benin  (République du Benin)
1 March 1990 to 4 April 1991General Mathieu Kérékou, PresidentPPRB1st Term
4 April 1991 to 4 April 1996Nicéphore Dieudonné Soglo, PresidentUTRD/PRB
4 April 1996 to 6 April 2006General Mathieu Kérékou, PresidentFARD2nd Term
6 April 2006 to PresentThomas Yayi Boni, Presidentn-p

Affiliations

FARDFront d'Action pour le Rénouveau et le Développement
            (Action for Renewal and Development) leftist
PDParti Démocratique
            (Democratic Party) merger of PRD and UDD 1964
PRBParti de la renaissance du Bénin
      (Benin Rebirth Party) centrist
UTRDUnion pour le Triomphe du Renouveau Démocratique
            (Union for the Triumph of Democratic Renewal)
PRDParti du Rénouveau Démocratique
            (Democratic Renewal Party)
PRPBParti de la Révolution Populaire du Bénin
            (People's Revolutionary Party of Benin) communist, only legal party 1979-1990
RDDRassemblement Démocratique du Dahomé
            (Dahomey Democratic Rally)
UDDUnion Démocratique du Dahomé
            (Dahomey Democratic Union)
MilMilitary
n-pnon-partisan

Latest election

 Summary of the 13 March 2011 Beninese presidential election results
Candidates – Parties Votes %
Yayi Boni 1,333,153 53.18
Adrien Houngbédji – Democratic Renewal Party 893,976 35.66
Abdoulaye Bio-Tchané 157,642 6.29
Salifou Issa – Union for Relief 24,774 0.99
Christian Enock Lagnidé 16,304 0.65
François Janvier Yahouédéhou 12,257 0.49
Jean-Yves Sinzogan 11,908 0.48
Akuavi Marie-Elise Christiana Gbèdo 10,285 0.41
Antoine Dayori – Hope Force 10,056 0.40
Victor Prudent Topanou 9,793 0.39
Cyr Kouagou M'po 7,752 0.31
Késsilé Tchala Saré 7,749 0.31
Salomon Joseph Ahissou Biokou 6,699 0.27
Joachim Dahissiho 4,724 0.19
Total (turnout %) 2,507,072 100.00
Source: boniyayi.bj

Sources

See also