Benin, a French-speaking West African nation, is the birthplace of the vodou (or “voodoo”) religion and home to the former Kingdom of Dahomey. Following its independence from France in 1960, the West African nation witnessed multiple coups, especially in the decades following its independence. Since 1991, the country has been politically stable following the two-decade rule of Mathieu Kerekou, a Marxist-Leninist who renamed the country the People’s Republic of Benin. President Patrice Talon had been in power since 2016 and was due to step down next April after the presidential election. The recent coup in Benin was thwarted by loyalist troops.
December 7th, 2025, would typically have been a typical day during Benin’s dry season; however, upon turning on the morning news, citizens and the world were abrasively presented with a report that changed everything. Under the orders of Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, eight soldiers seized control of the national television ORTB in Cotonou and attacked the presidential residence in Porto-Novo. In the morning news announcement, it was announced that the founding institutions of the government would be dissolved and a military committee would be created in their place. This attempted coup, however, was incredibly brief. Loyalist forces, coupled with aid from Nigerian troops, air assets, and ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), regained control of the situation, revealing the severe operational and political limitations of the coup itself. Following the reinstating of the government, the Beninese Minister of Interior Alassane Seidou appeared on air to announce that the situation had diffused and normal operations were reinstated. To further remediate the state of emergency, President Patrice Talon gave a televised speech later that day, restating that everything was “under control,” promising sanctions and announcing that the African Union and UN had arrested and convicted 14 individuals connected to the attempted coup. The Military Committee for Refoundation (CMR), is the group responsible for this recent coup attempt.
An Unusual Event in an Unstable Region.
This event might seem rather expected, given the general instability of the West Africa region, especially within the current decade, with other coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Guinea, and, more recently, in Guinea-Bissau this past November. Yet, in Benin, it is shocking given how relatively stable the country is in comparison. Since the previous coup attempt failed, facilitated by French mercenary Bob Denard in January 1977, against the regime of Mathieu Kérékou, subsequent attempts have paled in comparison. Notably, the 2013 and 2024 attempts never fully threatened the ruling power. This is a testament to the democratic growth and stability Benin has strived to foster over the years, diverging from its neighbours. Benin’s president Patrice Talon has actively pushed for more democratic reforms beginning in 2017, so this attempted coup raises many questions regarding their success, especially with the end of Talon’s presidency approaching. This begs the reasonable question: Why did such a coup occur now?
CMR’s Motivation
Primarily, it is relevant to consider what drove these soldiers to believe their efforts would be successful in a country that actively fights corruption. The CMR claimed poor management of jihadist conflicts in Northern Benin, which left the country with major losses. For example, in January of 2025, 28 soldiers were killed in a jihadist border ambush with Niger and Burkina Faso. A few months later, in April, another jihadist attack caused 54 deaths, including soldiers and civilians. Northern Benin has suffered from the infiltration of jihadist groups from the Sahel, exploiting local tensions and the overall lack of cooperation with neighbouring states. In addition to a lack of external aid, the Beninese army is under constant pressure, with attacks multiplying in areas like Alibori or Pendjari.
Local and Regional Support for Benin.
Another factor to consider is that the Beninese population, in addition to Western Africa, shows great support for Benin. On social media, many comments support the people of Benin and their president. This support has also created a sentiment of general misunderstanding, questioning the validity and timing of such a coup in a stable nation. Where some blame the African mentality, others blame the ulterior motives of men seeking to accumulate personal power rather than develop their own country. Either way, this attempt has allowed for African cooperation through ECOWAS. Nigeria was the first country to deploy troops based on ECOWAS protocols, with Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire following suit. This is a promising sign, signalling a potentially stronger response to future coups as cooperation amongst West African states is gradually improving.
International Newspaper Reaction.
In conclusion, the Beninese media has continually employed the term “mutiny” to describe this event, whereas Western media has used a much more pronounced lexical field. International media discourse notes that “Benin is close to a switchover”, and “Ouest-France”, mentioning an ‘attempted coup.’ This kind of language portrays the situation in a rather exaggerated manner, especially given the limited personnel involved in the attempt. The French media, arguably, has dramatised the coup d’état in Benin to protect their own personal geopolitical interests in West Africa. As Benin is a stable ally against regimes hostile to Mali or Niger, it is justified in increasing support for French President Talon. There is also a significant historical bias in how coups are covered in the media, often labelled as sensationalist to depict Africa as unstable, reinforcing the narrative of needing a French presence. This also draws the attention of a French audience, where anti-French tensions in Africa are a rather sensitive topic.
Title Image Courtesy: BBC
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government of India and the Defence Research and Studies
Bibliography :
https://www.ouest-france.fr/monde/benin/benin-ce-quil-faut-savoir-apres-le-coup-detat manque-3ca79d52-d3cf-11f0-a0f2-b2a4fbd1e8d9
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-12-08/Benin-s-president-says-situation-under-control-after coup-attempt-1IVJx2h5n20/p.html
https://guardian.ng/featured/nigeria-deploys-fighter-aircraft-to-benin-republic-amid-military coup/
https://www.dw.com/en/benin-ecowas-troops-deployed-after-failed-coup-attempt/a-75050722 https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/soldiers-benins-national-television-claim-have-seized power-2025-12-07/BRUT AFRIQUE
