Benin votes for new president amid failed coup aftermath

Benin is holding a crucial presidential election today, just four months after a failed military coup rattled the West African nation. The vote marks a pivotal moment as outgoing President Patrice Talon steps aside after two terms, leaving Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni as the ruling coalition’s frontrunner. Wadagni, 49, is seen as the architect of Benin’s recent fiscal stability and is expected to win decisively, but critics warn the election feels more like a controlled succession than a com