Beninese voters are electing their president, a clear path for Minister Romuald Wadagni

Beninese voters began casting their ballots on Sunday to elect their president in a contest with an unbalanced two-way race: Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni is the clear favorite against a weak opponent, teacher and former minister Paul Hounkpè.

Benin, a small coastal country in West Africa, is emerging from a decade of profound economic transformations despite an unstable security situation in its northern part, which has been hit by jihadist violence.

Nearly eight million Beninese are expected at the polling stations open from 07:00 (06:00 GMT) to 16:00 (15:00 GMT) to choose the successor of Patrice Talon, who is stepping down after two five-year terms as required by the Constitution.

At the Cadjehoun public primary school in Cotonou, voters trickled in to cast their ballots Sunday morning, AFP journalists observed. A slightly larger turnout was expected after religious services.

Christine Imende Djossou is one of the first voters, as dawn is just breaking. "I am very happy to have come to fulfill my civic duty. I invite all voters to come and do the same quickly," she says.

Yvan Glidja, in his thirties, searches for his name on the lists at the entrance to a classroom converted into a polling station. He came early to vote for his candidate, Romuald Wadagni. "You have to vote so that the turnout is high," he asserts.

Turnout will be the main issue in the election, after a campaign that did not generate much enthusiasm, with the outcome being a foregone conclusion, according to most analysts.

Numerous observers from the European Union (EU), the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) were deployed in Cotonou.

"We hope that as many Beninese as possible will go out to make their choice today," Nana Akufo-Addo, head of the ECOWAS delegation and former Ghanaian president, told AFP.

Backed by the two main parties of the majority and endorsed by Patrice Talon, Minister Romuald Wadagni faces Paul Hounkpè, an opponent whose campaign has been very discreet and who needed the help of elected officials from the majority to obtain the sponsorships required to run.

- "Frustration" -

Part of Benin will not have a candidate on Sunday, since the main opposition party, Les Démocrates, failed to obtain the necessary number of endorsements.

The majority camp believes that internal party divisions led to his elimination. In recent weeks, several leading figures from the Democrats have joined Romuald Wadagni's campaign.

"The discontented have not disappeared. Tension and frustration remain high, their electoral hopes have been dashed and they are being offered a range of options in which they do not find themselves," warns electoral process expert Rufin Godjo.

Beninese people will not have the opportunity to express themselves at the ballot box again before 2033, following a constitutional reform passed last year.

Many observers are also wondering what attitude the next president will have regarding public freedoms after the authoritarian turn taken by Patrice Talon.

Will Romuald Wadagni make a gesture towards the opposition members sentenced to heavy prison terms for various crimes? Paul Hounkpè, for his part, has promised to release the "political prisoners".

- Development -

The next president of Benin will inherit a country transformed by the Talon decade: GDP has doubled, growth exceeds 6% each year, the economy has modernized, tourism has developed and many infrastructures have emerged.

"I hope all Beninese people will turn out, regardless of their beliefs, so that we can continue moving towards development," said Bizou, who came to vote at the Océan school in the Haie Vive neighborhood of Cotonou. Turnout was still low, but the ballot boxes contained a few dozen votes.

The architect of this development after a decade at the Ministry of Finance, Romuald Wadagni embodies continuity but says he wants to fight against poverty, estimated at 30%.

Opposition leader Paul Hounkpè promises price cuts on basic necessities.

Many Beninese complain that they are not benefiting from the fruits of growth.

Benin's economic progress will also depend on security stabilization, at a time when the north of the country is plagued by increasingly deadly jihadist violence.

If Mr. Wadagni is elected on Sunday, he should be able to count on the loyalty of his army, which was decisive on December 7 in repelling an attempted coup against Patrice Talon.