That stance has been maintained despite the erosion of civil liberties and return of grand corruption under President Patrice Talon...

Tried last week by the national corruption and terrorism court – in cases neutral observers regard as trumped up – these two emblematic opposition figures had sought to stand against the incumbent Patrice Talon in last April's presidential election...

Since then the governments of President Yayi Boni and more recently Patrice Talon have rolled back such gains...

Condé with the killing of protestors and the jailing of political opponents was among the starkest recent examples surpassed perhaps only by Benin's Patrice Talon – who redrew the rules to effectively prevent any serious opponents from even contesting legislative and presidential elections...

After excluding all credible opposition candidates President Patrice Talon won another five years in office with 86% of the vote according to provisional results released as Africa Confidential went to press...

Béninois voters can have any president they like – so long as it is Patrice Talon...

Benin is planning to close 24 of its 27 embassies around the world in the second major retrenchment of the country's diplomatic corps since President Patrice Talon took office Africa Confidential has learned...

The main target is Benin where President Patrice Talon's government has been seen as facilitating rice smuggling from south-east Asia bringing cargoes across the border...