United States Department of State

Benin United States Department of State

Benin is a stable constitutional parliamentary democracy (republic). In 2011 President Thomas Boni Yayi won a second and final, five-year term in multiparty elections. On April 26, Benin held legislative elections in which President Yayi's supporting coalition, Cowry Force for an Emerging Benin, won 33 of 83 seats in the National Assembly, and the coalition allied with four independent candidates to hold a total of 37 seats (a decrease from 41 in the prior legislature). International observers viewed the elections as generally free, fair, and transparent. Civilian authorities generally maintained effective control over the security forces. The major human rights problems included police use of excessive force; violence and discrimination against women and girls, including female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C); and harsh prison conditions. Other human rights problems included arbitrary arrest and detention; prolonged pretrial detention; abuse of women and children, including sexual harassment, child sexual exploitation, early and forced marriage, and infanticide; trafficking in persons; discrimination against persons with disabilities; vigilante violence; and child labor. Although the government made an effort to control corruption and abuses, including by prosecuting and punishing public officials, officials sometimes engaged in corrupt practices with impunity.