<hdr>The World Factbook 1994: Benin<nl>Government</hdr><body>
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<item><hi format=bold>Names:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional long form:</hi> Republic of Benin
<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional short form:</hi> Benin
<item>• <hi format=ital>local long form:</hi> Republique Populaire du Benin
<item>• <hi format=ital>local short form:</hi> Benin
<item>• <hi format=ital>former:</hi> Dahomey
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<item><hi format=bold>Digraph:</hi> BN
<item><hi format=bold>Type:</hi> republic under multiparty democratic rule dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February 1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991
<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 1 August 1960 (from France)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> National Day, 1 August (1990)
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> 2 December 1990
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> 18 years of age; universal
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state and head of government:</hi> President Nicephore SOGLO (since 4 April 1991); election last held 10 and 24 March 1991; results—Nicephore SOGLO 68%, Mathieu KEREKOU 32%
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> Executive Council; appointed by the president
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> Alliance of the Democratic Union for the Forces of Progress (UDFP), Timothee ADANLIN; Movement for Democracy and Social Progress (MDPS), Jean-Roger AHOYO; Union for Liberty and Development (ULD), Marcellin DEGBE; Alliance of the National Party for Democracy and Development (PNDD) and the Democratic Renewal Party (PRD), Pascal Chabi KAO; Alliance of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the National Union for Solidarity and Progress (UNSP), Bruno AMOUSSOU; Our Common Cause (NCC), Albert TEVOEDJRE; National Rally for Democracy (RND), Joseph KEKE; Alliance of the National Movement for Democracy and Development (MNDD), leader NA; Movement for Solidarity, Union, and Progress (MSUP), Adebo ADENIYI; Union for Democracy and National Reconstruction (UDRN), Azaria FAKOREDE; Union for Democracy and National Solidarity (UDS), Mama Amadou N'DIAYE; Assembly of Liberal Democrats for National Reconstruction (RDL), Severin ADJOVI; Alliance of the Alliance for Social Democracy (ASD), Robert DOSSOU; Bloc for Social Democracy (BSD), Michel MAGNIDE; Alliance of the Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ADP), Akindes ADEKPEDJOU; Democratic Union for Social Renewal (UDRS), Bio Gado Seko N'GOYE; National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP), Robert TAGNON; Party for Progress and Democracy, Thiophile NATA; African Rally for Progress and Solidarity (RAPS), Florentin MITO-BABA; The Benin Renaissance Party , Desire VIEYRA and Rosine SOGLO; The Patriotic Union for the Republic (UPR), Jean-Marie ZAHOUN; Union for the Conservation of Democracy, Bernard HOUEGNON
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<item>• <hi format=ital>note:</hi> as of May 1994, Benin had about 60 political parties