1991 Beninese presidential election

Presidential elections were held in Benin in March 1991, the first direct presidential elections since 1970. Elections under the military regime of Mathieu Kérékou had been indirect, with the president chosen by the National Assembly.

1991 Beninese presidential election

← 1970 10 March 1991 (first round)
24 March 1991 (second round)
1996 →
 
Candidate Nicéphore Soglo Mathieu Kérékou
Party UTRD Independent
Popular vote 881,205 423,501
Percentage 67.54% 32.46%

President before election

Mathieu Kérékou
Independent

Elected President

Nicéphore Soglo
UTRD

The first round, held on 10 March, saw no candidate receive more than 37% of the vote. Prime Minister Nicéphore Soglo led the field, with Kérékou in second place. The second round on 24 March resulted in a decisive victory for Soglo, with almost two-thirds of the vote. Voter turnout was 56% in the first round and 64% in the second.[1]

The elections marked the first instance in post-colonial Francophone Africa that an opposition candidate won a free election.

Results

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CandidatePartyFirst roundSecond round
Votes%Votes%
Nicéphore SogloUnion for the Triumph of Democratic Renewal415,26236.31881,20567.54
Mathieu KérékouIndependent310,97827.19423,50132.46
Albert TévoédjrèOur Common Cause162,49814.21
Bruno AmoussouSocial Democratic Party65,9995.77
Adrien HoungbédjiDemocratic Renewal Party51,8884.54
Moise MensahIndependent39,2503.43
Sévérin AdjoviRDLRN–Vivoten29,8542.61
Bertin BornaIndependent18,4841.62
Idelphonse LemonIndependent11,2970.99
Assani FasassiIndependent10,3340.90
Gatien HoungbédjiDemocratic Union for Economic and Social Development10,2100.89
Robert DossouAlliance for Social Democracy9,5510.84
Thomas GoudouBuilders and Managers of Freedom and Development8,0080.70
Total1,143,613100.001,304,706100.00
Valid votes1,143,61398.371,304,70699.21
Invalid/blank votes18,9021.6310,4170.79
Total votes1,162,515100.001,315,123100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,064,31156.312,052,63864.07
Source: African Elections Database, Nohlen et al.

References

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  1. ^ Dieter Nohlen, Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p94 ISBN 0-19-829645-2