In Benin, new senate is inaugurated with powers to review legislation, protect constitution, and discipline politicians

Benin’s new senate was inaugurated in Porto-Novo last week, creating a second chamber of parliament with powers to review legislation, protect constitutional rules and discipline political figures. The new institution will be able to request a second reading of legislation and veto constitutional, electoral or political party reforms it considers a threat to democracy, peace or national unity. It will also be able to suspend or revoke the political rights of public figures whose conduct is judged as a threat to the country’s institutions or social cohesion, public law professor Gilles Badet told RFI. [ . . . ] The senate will be able to request another parliamentary reading if it believes that legislation contains provisions that could be difficult to apply. It will also oversee matters linked to peace, democracy and national unity, including proposed changes to the constitution, electoral rules and laws governing political parties.
Read the full article here: RFI