Presidents of Benin

Tenure	Portrait	Incumbent	Affiliation	Notes
Republic of Dahomey Republic of Dahomey The Republic of Dahomey was established on December 11, 1958, as a self-governing colony within the French Community. Prior to attaining autonomy it had been French Dahomey, part of the French Union... (République de Dahomé Republic of Dahomey The Republic of Dahomey was established on December 11, 1958, as a self-governing colony within the French Community. Prior to attaining autonomy it had been French Dahomey, part of the French Union... )	Independent from France
1 August 1960 to 31 December 1960		Coutoucou Hubert Maga Hubert Maga Coutoucou Hubert Maga was a politician from Dahomey .Dahomey was renamed Benin in 1975. See . He arose on a political scene where one's power was dictated by what region in Dahomey they lived... , Head of State	RDD
31 December 1960 to 27 October 1963		Coutoucou Hubert Maga Hubert Maga Coutoucou Hubert Maga was a politician from Dahomey .Dahomey was renamed Benin in 1975. See . He arose on a political scene where one's power was dictated by what region in Dahomey they lived... , President		1st Term
27 October 1963 to 28 October 1963	Provisional Government:-
		Coutoucou Hubert Maga Hubert Maga Coutoucou Hubert Maga was a politician from Dahomey .Dahomey was renamed Benin in 1975. See . He arose on a political scene where one's power was dictated by what region in Dahomey they lived... , Head of the Provisional Government	RDD	Deposed 1963 Dahomeyan coup d'état The 1963 Dahomey coup d'état was staged on October 28, 1963 by Christophe Soglo, who took control of the country to prevent a civil war. He overthrew Hubert Maga, whose presidency faced extreme economic stagnation and a host of other problems.-Background:...
		Sourou-Migan Apithy Sourou-Migan Apithy Sourou-Migan Marcellin Joseph Apithy was a Beninese political figure most active when his country was known as Dahomey. He arose on a political scene where one's power was dictated by what region in Dahomey they lived....	PRD
		Justin Ahomadegbé-Tomêtin Justin Ahomadegbé-Tomêtin Justin Ahomadegbé-Tomêtin was a Beninese politician most active when his country was known as Dahomey. He arose on a political scene where one's power was dictated by what region in Dahomey they lived...	UDD
28 October 1963 to 25 January 1964		General Christophe Soglo Christophe Soglo Christophe Soglo was a Beninese military officer and political leader and one of the most important figures in Benin's period of political instability and frequent, though usually bloodless, coups during the 1960s.-Biography:... , Head of the Provisional Government	Mil	1st Term
25 January 1964 to 27 November 1965		Sourou-Migan Apithy Sourou-Migan Apithy Sourou-Migan Marcellin Joseph Apithy was a Beninese political figure most active when his country was known as Dahomey. He arose on a political scene where one's power was dictated by what region in Dahomey they lived.... , President	PD	Forced to resign by Gen. Christophe Soglo Christophe Soglo Christophe Soglo was a Beninese military officer and political leader and one of the most important figures in Benin's period of political instability and frequent, though usually bloodless, coups during the 1960s.-Biography:...
27 November 1965 to 29 November 1965		Justin Ahomadegbé-Tomêtin Justin Ahomadegbé-Tomêtin Justin Ahomadegbé-Tomêtin was a Beninese politician most active when his country was known as Dahomey. He arose on a political scene where one's power was dictated by what region in Dahomey they lived... , acting President	PD	1st Term
29 November 1965 to 22 December 1965		Tahirou Congacou Tahirou Congacou Tahirou Congacou was a Beninese politician, most active during the 1960s, when his country was known as Dahomey. He served as speaker of the National Assembly from 1964 to 1965, and in that capacity served as acting President of Benin from 29 November 1965 to 22 December 1965... , acting President	PD
22 December 1965 to 19 December 1967		General Christophe Soglo Christophe Soglo Christophe Soglo was a Beninese military officer and political leader and one of the most important figures in Benin's period of political instability and frequent, though usually bloodless, coups during the 1960s.-Biography:... , President	Mil	2nd Term
19 December 1967 to 20 December 1967		Jean-Baptiste Hachème Jean-Baptiste Hachème Major Jean-Baptiste Hachème was a Beninese military officer and politician. He was most active when his country was known as Dahomey. Of Fon origins, he entered the national political stage in 1963, when he quelled riots started by supporters of former president Hubert Maga... , Chairman of the Revolutionary Committee	Mil
20 December 1967 to 21 December 1967		Lieutenant-Colonel Iropa Maurice Kouandété Maurice Kouandété Iropa Maurice Kouandété was a military officer and politician in Benin . He was born to Somba parents in the Gaba District of Dahomey. Kouandété enrolled in the army in his late teens. Over the years, he became popular among junior soldiers in the north and gained the contempt of those in the south... , Head of State	Mil	1st Term
21 December 1967 to 17 July 1968		Alphonse Amadou Alley, Head of State	Mil
17 July 1968 to 10 December 1969		Émile Derlin Henri Zinsou Emile Derlin Zinsou Emile Derlin Zinsou is a Beninese political figure who was the President of Dahomey from 17 July 1968 until 10 December 1969, supported by the military regime that took power in 1967. Zinsou also served in the French senate from 1955 to 1958. He was previously Minister of Foreign Affairs from... , President		Nominated by the military regime; deposed
10 December 1969 to 13 December 1969		Major Iropa Maurice Kouandété Maurice Kouandété Iropa Maurice Kouandété was a military officer and politician in Benin . He was born to Somba parents in the Gaba District of Dahomey. Kouandété enrolled in the army in his late teens. Over the years, he became popular among junior soldiers in the north and gained the contempt of those in the south... , Chief-of-Staff of the Army	Mil	2nd Term
13 December 1969 to 7 May 1970		Paul-Émile de Souza Paul-Émile de Souza Colonel Paul-Émile de Souza was a Beninese army officer and political figure. He was chairman of the Directory of Dahomey from December 13, 1969 to May 7, 1970.-Military career:... , Chairman of the Directory	Mil
7 May 1970 to 7 May 1972		Major Coutoucou Hubert Maga Hubert Maga Coutoucou Hubert Maga was a politician from Dahomey .Dahomey was renamed Benin in 1975. See . He arose on a political scene where one's power was dictated by what region in Dahomey they lived... , Chairman of the Presidential Council	RDD	2nd Term; Presidential Council formed after Presidential elections abandoned
7 May 1972 to 26 October 1972		Justin Ahomadegbé-Tomêtin Justin Ahomadegbé-Tomêtin Justin Ahomadegbé-Tomêtin was a Beninese politician most active when his country was known as Dahomey. He arose on a political scene where one's power was dictated by what region in Dahomey they lived... , Chairman of the Presidential Council	PD	2nd Term; deposed
26 October 1972 to 30 November 1975		Major Mathieu Kérékou Mathieu Kérékou Mathieu Kérékou, was President of Benin from 1972 to 1991 and again from 1996 to 2006. After seizing power in a military coup, he ruled the country for 17 years, for most of that time under an officially Marxist-Leninist ideology, before he was stripped of his powers by the National Conference of... , President	Mil/PRPB	1st Term
People's Republic of Benin People's Republic of Benin The People's Republic of Benin was a socialist state located in the Gulf of Guinea on the African continent, which would become present-day Benin. The People's Republic was established on November 30, 1975, shortly after the 1972 coup d'état in the Republic of Dahomey...   (République populaire du Benin People's Republic of Benin The People's Republic of Benin was a socialist state located in the Gulf of Guinea on the African continent, which would become present-day Benin. The People's Republic was established on November 30, 1975, shortly after the 1972 coup d'état in the Republic of Dahomey... )
30 November 1975 to 1 March 1990		General Mathieu Kérékou Mathieu Kérékou Mathieu Kérékou, was President of Benin from 1972 to 1991 and again from 1996 to 2006. After seizing power in a military coup, he ruled the country for 17 years, for most of that time under an officially Marxist-Leninist ideology, before he was stripped of his powers by the National Conference of... , President	Mil/PRPB	1st Term (contd.)
Republic of Benin Benin Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...   (République du Benin Benin Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located... )
1 March 1990 to 4 April 1991		General Mathieu Kérékou Mathieu Kérékou Mathieu Kérékou, was President of Benin from 1972 to 1991 and again from 1996 to 2006. After seizing power in a military coup, he ruled the country for 17 years, for most of that time under an officially Marxist-Leninist ideology, before he was stripped of his powers by the National Conference of... , President	PPRB	1st Term (contd.)
4 April 1991 to 4 April 1996		Nicéphore Dieudonné Soglo Nicéphore Soglo Nicéphore Dieudonné Soglo is a Beninois politician who was Prime Minister of Benin from 1990 to 1991 and President from 1991 to 1996. He has been the Mayor of Cotonou since 2003.-Biography:Soglo was born in Togo... , President	PRB	Inaugurated 4 April 1991
4 April 1996 to 6 April 2006		General Mathieu Kérékou Mathieu Kérékou Mathieu Kérékou, was President of Benin from 1972 to 1991 and again from 1996 to 2006. After seizing power in a military coup, he ruled the country for 17 years, for most of that time under an officially Marxist-Leninist ideology, before he was stripped of his powers by the National Conference of... , President	FARD	2nd Term; re-elected 22 March 2001; inaugurated 3 April 2001
6 April 2006 to Present		Thomas Yayi Boni Yayi Boni Dr. Thomas Yayi Boni , a Beninese banker and politician, is the current President of Benin. He took office on 6 April 2006 after winning elections held in the previous month.-Biography:... , President	n-p	Inaugurated 6 April 2006

Affiliations

Latest election

Sources

• http://www.rulers.org/rulb1.html#benin
• http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Benin.html
• http://news.bbc.co.uk/
• African States and Rulers, John Stewart, McFarland
• Guinness Book of Kings, Rulers & Statesmen, Clive Carpenter, Guinness Superlatives Ltd
• Heads of State and Government, 2nd Edition, John V da Graca, MacMillan Press 2000
• Whitaker's Almanack 1986 to 2004, J. Whitaker and Sons Ltd/A&C Black, London

See also

• Benin
  Benin
  Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
  
  
  • Heads of government of Benin
    Heads of government of Benin
    -Prime Ministers of Benin :-Affiliations:-Sources:*http://www.rulers.org/rulb1.html#benin*http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Benin.html*http://news.bbc.co.uk/...
    
    
  • Colonial heads of Benin (Dahomey)
    Colonial heads of Benin (Dahomey)
    -List of Colonial Heads of Dahomey and Porto-Novo :For continuation after independence, see: Heads of State of Benin-Sources:* http://www.rulers.org/rulb1.html#benin...
    
    
• Lists of office-holders