"In the past three or four years, images such as this of soldiers bursting in front of national TV have become common place in most of West Africa, a sub-region that for two or three decades had seen considerable progress in terms of democratic governance,"
"A military coup d'etat is not and will never be a solution, whether you are in Benin or elsewhere. Benin today is living its democratic trajectory, with its flaws but also with its successes. We are a country in the midst of a socio-economic structural transformation,"
"By suspending institutions, you are withholding that election from taking place, delegitimizing the process, and creating more public mistrust in a process which has led to some contention with opposition,"
Soldiers stormed Benin's state broadcaster to announce a coup, creating panic among citizens and fears across West Africa of democratic backsliding. The Armed Forces responded swiftly and contained the attempt, bringing temporary relief. Similar scenes of soldiers seizing national media have increased across the sub-region in recent years despite earlier democratic gains. The plotters cited deteriorating security in northern Benin, alleged unfair promotions within the army, and perceived restrictions on fundamental freedoms. Political and security analysts rejected the coup as a solution and warned that suspending institutions would prevent scheduled elections and deepen public mistrust.
Read at www.dw.com
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