List of presidents of Benin
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This is a list of presidents of Benin (formerly Dahomey) since the formation of the post of President in 1960, to the present day.
List of officeholders
- Political parties
Benin Rebirth Party (RB)
Action Front for Renewal and Development (FARD–Alafia)
- Other factions
- Status
Denotes acting or interim head of state
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Elected | Term of office | Political affiliation | Prime minister(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||
| Republic of Dahomey (1960–1975) | ||||||||
| 1 | 
|
Hubert Maga (1916–2000) |
1960 | 1 August 1960 | 28 October 1963 (Deposed in a coup) |
3 years, 88 days | RDD | Himself |
| – | 
|
Christophe Soglo (1909–1983)[a] |
— | 28 October 1963 | 25 January 1964 | 89 days | Military | Position abolished |
| 2 | 
|
Sourou-Migan Apithy (1913–1989) |
1964 | 25 January 1964 | 27 November 1965 (Resigned) |
1 year, 306 days | PDD | Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin |
| – | 
|
Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin (1917–2002) |
— | 27 November 1965 | 29 November 1965 | 2 days | PDD | Himself |
| – |
|
Tahirou Congacou (1911–1993) |
— | 29 November 1965 | 22 December 1965 (Deposed in a coup) |
23 days | PDD | Position abolished |
| 3 |
|
Christophe Soglo (1909–1983) |
— | 22 December 1965 | 19 December 1967 (Deposed in a coup) |
1 year, 362 days | Military | Position abolished |
| – |
|
Jean-Baptiste Hachème (1929–1998)[b] |
— | 19 December 1967 | 20 December 1967 | 1 day | Military | Position abolished |
| – |
|
Maurice Kouandété (1932–2003) |
— | 20 December 1967 | 21 December 1967 | 1 day | Military | Position abolished |
| – |
|
Alphonse Alley (1930–1987) |
— | 21 December 1967 | 17 July 1968 | 209 days | Military | Kouandété |
| 4 | 
|
Émile Derlin Zinsou (1918–2016) |
1968 (Jul) | 17 July 1968 | 10 December 1969 (Deposed in a coup) |
1 year, 146 days | Independent | Position abolished |
| – |
|
Maurice Kouandété (1932–2003)[c] |
— | 10 December 1969 | 13 December 1969 | 3 days | Military | Position abolished |
| – |
|
Paul-Émile de Souza (1930–1999)[d] |
— | 13 December 1969 | 7 May 1970 | 145 days | Military | Position abolished |
| 1 |
|
Hubert Maga (1916–2000)[e] |
— | 7 May 1970 | 7 May 1972 | 2 years | RDD | Position abolished |
| 2 |
|
Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin (1917–2002)[e] |
— | 7 May 1972 | 26 October 1972 (Deposed in a coup) |
172 days | PDD | Position abolished |
| 5 | 
|
Mathieu Kérékou (1933–2015) |
— | 26 October 1972 | 30 November 1975 | 3 years, 35 days | Military | Position abolished |
| People's Republic of Benin (1975–1990) | ||||||||
| (5) |
|
Mathieu Kérékou (1933–2015) |
1980[1] 1984[1] 1989[1] |
30 November 1975 | 1 March 1990 | 14 years, 120 days | Military[f] / PRPB | Position abolished |
| Republic of Benin (1990–present) | ||||||||
| (5) |
|
Mathieu Kérékou (1933–2015) |
— | 1 March 1990 | 4 April 1991 | 1 year, 34 days | PRPB / Independent | Soglo |
| 6 | 
|
Nicéphore Soglo (born 1934) |
1991 | 4 April 1991 | 4 April 1996 | 5 years | RB | Position abolished |
| (5) | 
|
Mathieu Kérékou (1933–2015) |
1996 2001 |
4 April 1996 | 6 April 2006 | 10 years, 2 days | Independent / FARD–Alafia | Houngbédji |
| 7 | 
|
Thomas Boni Yayi (born 1951) |
2006 2011 |
6 April 2006 | 6 April 2016 | 10 years | Independent | Koupaki Zinsou |
| 8 | 
|
Patrice Talon (born 1958) |
2016 2021 |
6 April 2016 | Incumbent | 8 years, 263 days | Independent | Position abolished |
Timeline
Notes
- ^ Styled as Head of the Provisional Government.
- ^ Styled as Chairman of the Revolutionary Committee.
- ^ Styled as Chief of Staff of the Army.
- ^ Styled as Chairman of the Directory.
- ^ a b Styled as Chairman of the Presidential Council.
- ^ Retired from the military in 1987, with the rank of a general.[2]
See also
- President of Benin
- Vice President of Benin
- List of prime ministers of Benin
- List of colonial governors of Dahomey
- Politics of Benin
References
- ^ a b c Elections in Benin African Elections Database
- ^ "Mathieu Kérékou, Dictator Who Ushered In Democracy in Benin, Dies at 82". The New York Times. 15 October 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
External links
 Republic of Dahomey (1960–1975) | |
|---|---|
 People's Republic of Benin (1975–1990) | |
| Republic of Benin (1990–present) | |
† Military * Interim | |