Chamber:
	Assemblée nationale
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	30 March 1999
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all the seats in the National Assembly on the normal expiry of the member's term of office
Background and outcome of elections:
	Some 35 political parties and alliances participated in the third free legislative election since the reintroduction of democracy in 1990. The poll was initially scheduled to take place on 28 March, but had to be shifted to 30 March to make room for the Aid El-Kebir (Tabaski) feast, the Moslem feast of the sacrifice, which fell between 26 and 29 March. This move was intended to enable as many voters as possible to participate in the polling exercise. More than 2.5 million people were eligible to vote and could choose from 2,905 candidates who were contesting the 83 seats in the National Assembly. Heading a list of about 10 opposition parties were the Rebirth of Benin (RB) of former President of the Republic Nicéphore Soglo, led by his wife Rosine, and the Democratic Renewal Party (PRD) of former Prime Minister Adrien Houngbedji. These two parties had together won 55% of the votes during the first round of the presidential election in 1996. For the first time in Benin and in francophone Africa, the Autonomous National Electoral Commission, the organiser of the poll, introduced a single ballot paper which contained the logos of all the parties or groups of parties so that all the voters had to do was to sign or put their finger print opposite their chosen candidate. The results of the election showed that the RB had won 27 seats, 7 more than in the last election. On the other hand, the PRD only won 11 seats, while it held 19 in the outgoing Assembly. Indeed the PRD suffered a setback in its electoral stronghold, Ouémé region, as a result of the success of a new party, the African Movement for Democracy and Progress (MADEP) of the millionaire Séfou Fagbohoun, close to the government. The MADEP, the Movement for Citizens' Commitment and Awakening (MERCI) and the Together Group altogether won 7 seats in this region. In the West, the Social Democratic Party (PSD) of the outgoing Speaker of the Assembly, Bruno Amoussou, close to Mr Kérékou, won 9 seats out of 10. The North of the country remained faithful to the presidential movement with 20 of the 25 seats. Sixteen parties and/or coalitions of parties are now represented in the National Assembly in which the opposition to President Mathieu Kérékou holds 42 seats. After nearly three months, President Kérékou named a new reshuffled Cabinet on 22 June.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (30 March 1999): Elections results
Number of registered electors	2 533 399
Voters	1 776 108 (70 %)
Blank or invalid ballot papers	609 967
Valid votes	1 166 141

Round no 1: Distribution of votes
Political Group	Votes	%
Rebirth of Benin (RB)	404 895	22.69
Democratic Renewal Party (PRD)	217 088	12.17
Action Front for Renewal and Development (FARD) - Alafia	97 895	5.49
Social Democrat Party (PSD)	165 419	9.27
African Movement for Democracy and Progress (MADEP)	164 328	9.21
Star Alliance	n.a.	n.a.
Impetus for Progress and Democracy (Alliance IPD)	n.a.	n.a.
Car DUNYA	n.a.	n.a.
Movement for Citizens' Commitment and Awakening (MERCI)	n.a.	n.a.
Other parties	n.a.	n.a.

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total
Rebirth of Benin (RB)	27
Democratic Renewal Party (PRD)	11
Action Front for Renewal and Development (FARD) - Alafia	10
Social Democrat Party (PSD)	9
African Movement for Democracy and Progress (MADEP)	6
Star Alliance	4
Impetus for Progress and Democracy (Alliance IPD)	4
Car DUNYA	3
Movement for Citizens' Commitment and Awakening (MERCI)	2
Other parties	7

Distribution of seats according to sex:
Men:	78
Women:	5
Percent of women:	6.02