Editing Benin (section)

===Post-colonial===
After 1960, there were coups and regime changes, with the figures of [[Hubert Maga]], [[Sourou Migan Apithy]], [[Justin Ahomadégbé]], and [[Émile Derlin Zinsou]] dominating; the first three each represented a different area and ethnicity of the country. These three agreed to form a [[Presidential Council (Benin)|Presidential Council]] after violence marred the 1970 elections.{{cn|date=December 2024}}

On 7 May 1972, Maga ceded power to Ahomadégbé On 26 October 1972, Lt. Col. [[Mathieu Kérékou]] overthrew the ruling triumvirate, becoming president and stating that the country would not "burden itself by copying foreign ideology, and wants neither Capitalism, Communism, nor Socialism". On 30 November 1974, he announced that the country was officially [[Marxism|Marxist]], under control of the Military Council of the Revolution (CMR), which nationalized the petroleum industry and banks. On 30 November 1975, he renamed the country the [[People's Republic of Benin]].<ref name="Dickovick2012">{{cite book |last=Dickovick |first=J. T. |title=Africa 2012 |date=2012 |publisher=Stryker Post |isbn=978-1-61048-882-2 |page=69 |url=https://archive.org/details/africa20120000dick/page/69 |url-access=registration |access-date=5 March 2013}}</ref><ref name="HoungnikpoDecalo2012">{{cite book |last1=Houngnikpo |first1=M. C. |last2=Decalo |first2=S. |title=Historical Dictionary of Benin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0yGPTsRubWEC&pg=PR33 |access-date=5 March 2013 |date=14 December 2012 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-0-8108-7171-7 |page=33 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140423214217/http://books.google.com/books?id=0yGPTsRubWEC&pg=PR33 |archive-date=23 April 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> The regime of the People's Republic of Benin underwent changes over the course of its existence: a [[Nationalism|nationalist]] period (1972–1974); a [[Socialism|socialist]] phase (1974–1982); and a phase involving an opening to Western countries and [[economic liberalism]] (1982–1990).<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |url=http://afriquepluriel.ruwenzori.net/benin1.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304083636/http://afriquepluriel.ruwenzori.net/benin1.htm |archive-date=4 March 2021 |title=Bénin, analyse du pays de 1982 a 1997 |access-date=11 December 2021}}</ref>

In 1974, the government embarked on a program to nationalize strategic sectors of the economy, reform the education system, establish agricultural cooperatives and new local government structures, and a campaign to eradicate "[[Feudalism|feudal]] forces" including [[tribalism]]. The regime banned opposition activities. Mathieu Kérékou was elected president by the National Revolutionary Assembly in 1980, re-elected in 1984. Establishing relations with China, [[North Korea]], and [[Libya]], he put "nearly all" businesses and economic activities under state control, causing foreign investment in Benin to dry up.<ref name=kneib>{{Cite book |title=Benin |last=Kneib |first=M. |pages=22–25 |isbn=978-0-7614-2328-7 |date=2007 |publisher=Marshall Cavendish Benchmark |url=https://archive.org/details/benin0000knei/page/22}}</ref> Kérékou attempted to reorganize education, pushing his own aphorisms such as "Poverty is not a fatality".<ref name=kneib/> The regime financed itself by contracting to take nuclear waste, first from the Soviet Union and later from France.<ref name=kneib/>

In the 1980s, Benin experienced higher economic growth rates (15.6% in 1982, 4.6% in 1983 and 8.2% in 1984), until the closure of the Nigerian border with Benin led to a drop in customs and tax revenues. The government was no longer able to pay civil servants' salaries.<ref name="auto"/> In 1989, riots broke out when the regime did not have enough money to pay its army. The banking system collapsed. Eventually, Kérékou renounced [[Marxism]], and a convention forced Kérékou to release political prisoners and arrange elections.<ref name="kneib"/> [[Marxism–Leninism]] was abolished as the country's form of government.<ref>{{cite web |date=2008 |url=http://www.socialist.net/history-people-s-republic-of-benin.htm |title=A Short History of the People's Republic of Benin (1974–1990) |publisher=Socialist.net |access-date=2 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100423134048/http://www.socialist.net/history-people-s-republic-of-benin.htm |archive-date=23 April 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The country's name was officially changed to the'' Republic of Benin'' on 1 March 1990, after the newly formed government's constitution was completed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://flagspot.net/flags/bj.html |title=Benin |publisher=Flagspot.net |access-date=2 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612012647/http://flagspot.net/flags/bj.html |archive-date=12 June 2010}}</ref>
Kérékou lost to [[Nicéphore Soglo]] in a 1991 election and became the first President on the African mainland to lose power through an election.<ref>{{cite news |title=Official Result in Benin Vote Shows Big Loss for Kerekou |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/03/26/world/official-result-in-benin-vote-shows-big-loss-for-kerekou.html |work=The New York Times |date=26 March 1991 |access-date=1 June 2022 |archive-date=1 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601223719/https://www.nytimes.com/1991/03/26/world/official-result-in-benin-vote-shows-big-loss-for-kerekou.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Kérékou returned to power after winning the 1996 vote. In 2001, an election resulted in Kérékou winning another term, after which his opponents claimed election irregularities.<ref>{{cite news |title=President Kerekou re-elected in Benin |url=http://www.afrol.com/News2001/ben007_kerekou_wins.htm |work=www.afrol.com |access-date=1 June 2022 |archive-date=1 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601223719/http://www.afrol.com/News2001/ben007_kerekou_wins.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> In 1999, Kérékou issued a national apology for the substantial role that Africans had played in the Atlantic slave trade.<ref>{{cite web |author=Gates, H. L. |title=Ending the Slavery Blame-Game |work=The New York Times |date=2010 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/23/opinion/23gates.html?pagewanted=all |access-date=24 February 2017 |archive-date=7 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170307174002/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/23/opinion/23gates.html?pagewanted=all |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[File:BoniYayi inauguration2006.jpg|thumb|[[Thomas Boni Yayi]]'s 2006 presidential inauguration]]
Kérékou and former president Soglo did not run in the 2006 elections, as both were barred by the constitution's restrictions on age and total terms of candidates.<ref>{{cite news |title=President Mathieu Kerekou leaves after 29 years |work=The New Humanitarian |url=https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/fr/node/225956 |date=2006 |language=fr |access-date=1 June 2022 |archive-date=1 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601222447/https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/fr/node/225956 |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Beninese presidential election, 2006]] resulted in a [[Two-round system|runoff]] between [[Thomas Boni Yayi]] and [[Adrien Houngbédji]]. The runoff election was held on 19 March and was won by Boni,<ref>{{cite news |title=Boni wins Benin presidential election: official |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2006-03-23/boni-wins-benin-presidential-election-official/825650 |work=ABC News |date=2006 |access-date=1 June 2022 |archive-date=1 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601221645/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2006-03-23/boni-wins-benin-presidential-election-official/825650 |url-status=live}}</ref> who assumed office on 6 April.<ref>{{cite news |title=Celebration As Boni Takes Over |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/200604070127.html |access-date=1 June 2022 |archive-date=18 April 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060418003819/http://allafrica.com/stories/200604070127.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Boni was [[Beninese presidential election, 2011|reelected in 2011]], taking 53.18% of the vote in the first round—enough to avoid a runoff election. He was the first president to win an election without a runoff since the restoration of democracy in 1991.<ref>{{cite news |title=Benin's Boni Yayi wins second term – court |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/benin-election-idAFLDE72K0KE20110321 |work=Reuters |date=21 March 2011 |language=en |access-date=1 June 2022 |archive-date=1 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601221256/https://www.reuters.com/article/benin-election-idAFLDE72K0KE20110321 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In the [[Beninese presidential election, 2016|March 2016 presidential elections]] in which Boni Yayi was barred by the constitution from running for a third term, businessman [[Patrice Talon]] won the second round with 65.37% of the vote, defeating investment banker and former Prime Minister [[Lionel Zinsou]]. Talon was sworn in on 6 April 2016.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-benin-election-idUSKCN0X31QO |title=Businessman sworn in as Benin's president |date=2016 |newspaper=Reuters |access-date=1 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417043022/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-benin-election-idUSKCN0X31QO |archive-date=17 April 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Speaking on the same day that the Constitutional Court confirmed the results, Talon said that he would "first and foremost tackle constitutional reform", discussing his plan to limit presidents to a single term of 5 years to combat "complacency". He said that he planned to slash the size of the government from 28 to 16 members.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-benin-election-idUSKCN0WS08X |title=Newly-elected Benin president aims to reduce presidential terms |date=2016 |newspaper=Reuters |access-date=1 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160503063033/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-benin-election-idUSKCN0WS08X |archive-date=3 May 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> In April 2021, President Patrice Talon was re-elected, with more than 86.3% of the votes cast in the [[2021 Beninese presidential election]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/benins-president-wins-election-preliminary-results-77053903 |title=Benin's president wins re-election in preliminary results |work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |access-date=14 April 2021 |archive-date=14 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414075040/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/benins-president-wins-election-preliminary-results-77053903 |url-status=live}}</ref> The change in election laws resulted in total control of parliament by president Talon's supporters.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021 |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/11/vote-counting-in-benin-after-election-marked-by-violent-protests |title=Benin vote count begins after opposition groups boycott election |website=Al Jazeera |access-date=19 April 2021 |archive-date=19 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419074916/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/11/vote-counting-in-benin-after-election-marked-by-violent-protests |url-status=live}}</ref>

In February 2022, Benin saw its largest terrorist attack in history, the [[W National Park massacre]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Five rangers, soldier killed in attack in Benin, park management says |url=https://news.yahoo.com/five-rangers-soldier-killed-attack-203717334.html |access-date=16 February 2022 |website=Yahoo News |date=2022 |archive-date=16 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216145841/https://news.yahoo.com/five-rangers-soldier-killed-attack-203717334.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

On 20 February 2022, President [[Patrice Talon]] inaugurated an exhibition with 26 pieces of sacred art returned to Benin by France, 129 years after they were looted by colonial forces.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2022/02/21/regardez-la-puissance-de-ces-objets-le-benin-expose-les-vingt-six-uvres-restituees-par-la-france_6114618_3212.html |title=Le Bénin expose les vingt-six œuvres restituées par la France : " Regardez la puissance de ces objets ! " |newspaper=Le Monde.fr |date=21 February 2022 |access-date=22 July 2023 |archive-date=21 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721071122/https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2022/02/21/regardez-la-puissance-de-ces-objets-le-benin-expose-les-vingt-six-uvres-restituees-par-la-france_6114618_3212.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

In April 2025, the government of Benin adopted a law, recognizing 16 kingdoms, 80 senior chiefs and 10 traditional chiefs through a new law, adopted in March 2025. The pre-colonial period, set at 1894 for the south and 1897 for the north of Benin, served as a historical reference for the bill to institutionalize chieftaincy in Benin. and to frame the rules on traditional territories.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.africarivista.it/il-benin-riconosce-i-capi-tradizionali/263599/|title=Il Benin riconosce i capi tradizionali|date=29 April 2025 }}</ref>