At stake in this election:

• 83 seats in the National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Mathieu KEREKOU
• Head of Government: President Mathieu KEREKOU
• Assembly: Benin has a unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) with 83 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 5-year term.
• In the National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) 83 members are elected by proportional representation to serve 4-year terms.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Party: Benin Renaissance (RB)
  • Leader: Nicéphore SOGLO
  • Seats won in this election: 27
  • Seats won in last election: 21
• Party: Democratic Renewal Party (PRD)
  • Leader: Adrien HOUNGBEDJI
  • Seats won in this election: 11
  • Seats won in last election: 19
• Party: Action Front for Renewal and Development - Alafia (FARD-Alafia)
  • Leader: Saka G. SALEY
  • Seats won in this election: 10
  • Seats won in last election: 10
• Party: Social Democratic Party (PSD)
  • Leader: Bruno AMOUSSOU
  • Seats won in this election: 9
  • Seats won in last election: 8
• Party: MADEP
  • Leader: N/A
  • Seats won in this election: 6
  • Seats won in last election: N/A
• Party: Other parties
  • Leader: N/A
  • Seats won in this election: 20
  • Seats won in last election: N/A

Last Legislative election:

• Legislative elections were last helld on March 28, 1995.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 6,100,799 (July 1998 est.)
• Registered Voters: 2,769,323 ( 1999 )

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 3,437,677 (1999)

·         Is Benin a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (11 November 1981)

·         Has Benin ratified CEDAW: Yes (12 March 1992)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 5 (following 1999 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 166 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: High (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Benin a signatory to CRPD: Yes (8 February 2008)

·         Has Benin ratified CRPD: Yes (5 July 2012)

·         Population with a disability: 916,619 (est.)