Benin holds presidential election four months after failed coup

The Guardian reports that Benin holds a presidential election on Sunday, four months after a failed military coup in December, with Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni heavily favored to succeed outgoing President Patrice Talon—who is constitutionally barred from a third term. The article is bylined to Eromo Egbejule and sourced from named officials including Amnesty International's Dieudonné Dagbéto, provides specific details (Wadagni's age, prior roles, policy positions, election threshold changes), and includes direct quotes from opposition parties and human rights groups, reflecting solid journalistic standards. Reuters and BBC coverage corroborates Wadagni's frontrunner status and adds context about jihadist security threats from neighboring countries; the article strengthens this by noting the December coup's connection to both troop discontent and cross-border militant activity. Critics documented in the piece—including the lead opposition Democrats party's claims of programmed exclusion and concerns over shrinking civic space, media closures, and arbitrary detention of journalists—should be monitored as indicators of democratic backsliding; watch for post-election coverage of whether Wadagni's promised reforms (free schooling, job creation) materialize and whether international observers flag irregularities.