An attempted military coup took place in Benin. What you need to know

The military seized national television and announced the removal of President Patrice Talon. Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, who led the operation, headed the "military reconstruction committee" they created. What is known about the coup attempt is in the Izvestia article.

The political situation

• Presidential elections are scheduled to be held in Benin on April 12, 2026. The Constitutional Court has approved two candidates for the post of head of state: Romuald Vadanyi, Minister of Economy, and Paul Unkpe, ex-head of the Ministry of Culture. Talon himself had already won elections twice and was legally not eligible to run again.

• Representatives of the opposition were not included in the list of presidential candidates. The main opposition force in Benin is the Democrats party. In October 2025, this party nominated lawyer Renault Agbojo as a candidate for the presidency. The fact that the candidate was not approved was probably the reason for the uprising.

• In the parliamentary and presidential elections in 2019 and 2021, many opposition parties did not actually have the opportunity to participate. This caused a massive boycott by voters. After that, the opposition was allowed to participate in the parliamentary elections in 2023.

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Seizure of power

• Due to the fact that the opposition will not participate in the elections, armed units entered the residence of the head of State in Porto Novo before dawn on December 7. Almost simultaneously, another group occupied the premises of the state television and radio company. From there, the officers went on the air and announced the deposition of the president, the dissolution of the Cabinet of Ministers and the transfer of powers to the body they created.

• In Cotonou, the country's largest city, the movement of military equipment was recorded during the day. The units occupied key areas. However, it is unclear whether they supported the rebellion or acted in the interests of legitimate authority. Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri became the head of the new military committee. At the same time, it remained unclear whether the coup's control had spread to the entire territory of the state.

• Later, Foreign Minister Olushegun Ajadi Bakari reported that the army units, which remained loyal to the government, were able to regain control of the situation. He noted that the insurgent military only managed to occupy the television center and use the airwaves to announce the coup. The capital of Benin is under protection, and Talon and his relatives are not under threat. The Interior Ministry of Benin later announced the restoration of order in the country. As a result of the mutiny, 13 people were arrested.

• The Russian diplomatic mission urged its citizens not to leave their homes and to be careful, as the embassy does not yet have information about the real situation. The country's air gates and the skies over Benin continue to function.

The situation in Benin

• The economy of Benin is characterized by weak diversification and historically relies on the agricultural sector. The majority of the population is engaged in agriculture. In recent years, there has been a growth in the service sector, especially in trade, as well as transit logistics through the port of Cotonou, which plays a key role in trade routes for neighboring countries such as Niger and Burkina Faso. The industrial sector remains small and is focused on processing agricultural products.

• The poverty rate in Benin exceeds 40%. At the same time, this indicator is higher in rural areas than in cities. The average salary in the country is about $110.

Instability in Africa

Just over a week ago, Umaro Sissoko Embalo was ousted as President in Guinea-Bissau. In general, in recent years, a series of power shifts have taken place in West African countries — Mali, Guinea, Niger and Burkina Faso. This has increased concerns about the possible further destabilization of the situation in the region.

• The reasons for such changes in power are largely related to the long-term lack of public confidence in the political leadership, systemic problems in the judicial and law enforcement systems. The economic situation in West Africa is also very difficult, in particular, high unemployment and inflation.