Marie-Elise Gbèdo

Marie-Elise Akouavi Gbèdo (born 1954) is a Beninese politician who has run for president twice. In May 1998 she was made Minister of Commerce, Crafts, and Tourism under President Mathieu Kérékou but was dismissed from that position in June 1999. Afterwards, she became a vocal critic of the government, and stood as a candidate in the March 2001 presidential election, becoming the country's first female presidential candidate. In doing so, Gbèdo, a mother of two, faced some conservative attitudes. In particular, she received disapproval because she was divorced. Reportedly she received more disapproval from women than men, although she had the backing of some women's groups.^[1] In the election, she took 11th place with 0.36% of the vote. Running again in the March 2006 presidential election, she took 16th place with 0.33% of the vote.^[2]

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