Benin in Turmoil as Military Declare Government Overthrown on State TV
A group of soldiers appeared on Benin’s state television on Sunday announcing that they had dissolved the government and removed President Patrice Talon from power, in what appears to be the latest military coup in West Africa.
The group, calling itself the Military Committee for Refoundation, declared that all state institutions had been suspended with immediate effect. The announcement was broadcast on December 7, 2025, marking a dramatic escalation in political tensions within the country.
According to reports by France24, the unrest began in the early hours of the morning when armed soldiers launched an attack on President Talon’s residence in Porto-Novo. The extent of the confrontation remains unclear, and the whereabouts of President Talon—who has governed Benin since 2016—have not been officially confirmed.
Benin, officially the Republic of Benin and historically known as the Kingdom of Dahomey, borders Togo to the west and Nigeria to the east. The country had previously been regarded as one of the region’s more stable democracies, making Sunday’s announcement particularly significant for West African geopolitics.
The developments in Benin come at a time when political instability continues to grip neighbouring Guinea-Bissau. The country has faced repeated military interventions since independence from Portugal in 1974, registering at least nine attempted or successful coups.
Earlier this week, military officers in Guinea-Bissau announced they had taken control of the government, sparking widespread uncertainty. Although the typical hallmarks of a coup were present—gunfire near the presidential palace, the arrest of President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, and a televised address by soldiers—questions quickly emerged over the true nature of the takeover.
Several regional figures, including Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, publicly expressed doubts, suggesting the manoeuvre may have been orchestrated by Embaló himself. The military, while confirming to the BBC that it had seized authority, rejected the use of the term “coup”, insisting that its intervention was designed to prevent what they described as a plot by unnamed political actors backed by “a well-known drug baron”.
Guinea-Bissau has in recent years become a recognised transit hub for international drug trafficking networks, worsening its longstanding political volatility.
The latest takeover occurred just three days after the nation voted in a presidential election. Embaló, 53, was seeking a second term, with his main challenger being Fernando Dias da Costa. Dias enjoyed significant backing from former Prime Minister Domingos Pereira, who had initially been expected to run as the candidate for the main opposition party, PAIGC. Pereira, however, was disqualified after authorities claimed he had filed his nomination papers too late.
Election results were due to be released on Thursday, one day after the military declared its takeover—further fuelling speculation about the motivations behind the intervention.
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Benin in Turmoil as Military Declare Government Overthrown on State TV