Benin: A pulverized party system in transition

Benin has seen a rapid proliferation of political parties since the country’s democratic transition in 1990. Recent counts suggest that over a hundred political parties are registered in this nation of just over 9 million people. No single party dominates the political landscape. Thus, compared to the one-party-dominant systems elsewhere on the African continent, the Beninese party system configuration shows an interesting contrast. This chapter seeks to answer two interrelated questions: First, how exactly does Benin’s party system compare to other party systems and, more specifically, how should it be classified? Second, what does the Beninese case suggest about the relationship between party system configurations and democratic outcomes?