26/4/17

I can identify key events in the history of the ancient kingdom of Benin.

1946 – Dahomey / Benin becomes an overseas territory of France.

1958 – Dahomey / Benin becomes self-governing, within the French Community.                                                                                                                      1960 – Dahomey / Benin gains independence and is admitted to the UN.

1964 – Sourou-Migan Apithy is elected president.

1965 – General Soglo forces the president to step down and a government is formed.

1970 – Presidential elections are held but abandoned. Power is ceded to a presidential council consisting of Ahomadegbe, Apithy and Maga.

1975 November – Dahomey is renamed the People’s Republic of Benin.

1980 – Parliament unanimously elects sole contender Mr Kerekou as president

1991 March – President Kerekou is beaten by Nicephore Soglo in the first multi-candidate presidential elections. Kerekou is granted immunity from prosecution over actions taken since October 1972.

1996 – Following accusations of irregularities in presidential elections, the constitutional court returns Mr Kerekou to office.

2007 April – President Yayi’s coalition wins control of parliament in elections.

2008 April – Parties allied with President Yayi win a majority of local council seats nationwide, but the major cities in the south are all won by opposition parties.

2011 May – President Yayi’s party and its allies regain control of parliament in elections.

2017 April – Parliament narrowly rejects President Talon’s proposal to to restrict his successors to a single six-year term.