Two Beninese parliamentarians have formally withdrawn their legal challenge against their political party, Les Démocrates (LD), just one day after filing the case with the Constitutional Court.
The court confirmed the withdrawal on 10 October 2025, closing a brief but high-profile dispute over the 2026 presidential election candidacies.
MPs Éric Camille Houndété and Joël Godonou had petitioned the court on 9 October, seeking a declaration that their party’s internal stance against their candidacies was unconstitutional.
The two lawmakers argued that LD’s refusal to accept their applications violated their political rights and freedom of choice as guaranteed under the Constitution.
They also contended that no law prohibits a sitting member of parliament from self-sponsoring or running for office, pointing to the 2021 precedent when Vice-President Mariam Chabi Talata, then an MP, successfully self-sponsored her candidacy.
Houndété and Godonou further claimed that the party’s actions amounted to discrimination based on social position, restricting their political participation and undermining the principle of equality of citizens before the law.
The case had raised questions about the limits of party authority over internal nominations and the constitutional protection of individual political rights.
However, the MPs submitted a formal withdrawal letter to the court the day after filing their appeal. Les Démocrates did not participate in the proceedings.
The Constitutional Court ruled that the dispute was subjective—focused on individual interests rather than the defense of the Constitution itself—and therefore could be withdrawn at any time.
The court noted the withdrawal and ordered the case to be removed from its docket.
The decision will be formally notified to the parties involved, including the president of Les Démocrates, and published in the Official Journal of the Republic of Benin.
While the withdrawal closes the legal chapter, observers say the episode underscores ongoing tensions within the party over the 2026 election and the broader debate on political rights for sitting parliamentarians.
Houndété and Godonou’s brief legal challenge highlights the fine balance between party autonomy and constitutional safeguards, leaving lingering questions about the mechanisms for resolving intra-party disputes in Benin’s evolving political landscape.
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