Benin’s National Assembly has passed a law temporarily abolishing the National Autonomous Electoral Commission (CENA), the body responsible for organizing elections, as part of plans to reform its structure and operations.
The law, adopted on July 10, repeals the Electoral Code provisions governing CENA just days before the current Electoral Council’s five-year, non-renewable mandate expires on July 14.
It also authorizes the government to issue a decree outlining the management of the commission’s assets, settlement of its financial obligations, and the temporary redeployment of its staff to the public administration.
The government says the move is a transitional measure aimed at adapting the country’s electoral management system to a new institutional framework.
Authorities maintain that CENA will be re-established after the reform process is completed, although no timeline or details of the planned restructuring have yet been announced.
