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Natiolnal DEMOCRATIC INS'l'l'l'u'l'e ' NATIOlNAL DEMOCRATIC INS'l'l'l'U'l'E' - FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS FA.. (202) 939-3 166 Fihh Fhr. I-1- Yrruchtwttr lrmw. Y.W. Washington. D.C. 2W.W (202) .W?-llZb H E-Mail 5Ym0~9@htCIMAILCOht AREAF Project Find Report DEMOCRATIC CONSOILIDATION IN NIGER, MALI AND BENIN THE ROLE OF AN EFFECTIVE LEGISLATURE Grant No. AOT-0486-A-00-2134-00 Modification #I0 January 1 to September 30, 1994 AREAF Project Final Report DEMOCRATIC CONSOLIDATION IN NIGER, MALI AND BENIN THE ROLE OF AN EFFECTIVE LEGISLATURE Grant No. AOT-0486-A-00-2134-00 Modification #10 January 1 to September 30, 1994 I. INTRODUCTION The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) organized a legislative rogram program in Niamey, Niger, for deputies from the national assemblies of Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. The primary objective of the seminar was to increase the effectiveness of these nascent assemblies and to assist the process of consolidating democratic governance in these countries. The program was planned in direct response to requests for assistance from newly elected representatives of three of the national assemblies. The program was designed in three parts: an advance visit by a small team of NDI staff and a parliamentary expert to plan for the seminar and develop a specific agenda; the seminar itself and a follow-up presence by an NDI field representative to assess the project and assist in initiatives that may have flown from the seminar. The seminar provided an opportunity for the West African participants to address problems common to their fledgling legislstures. In addition, parliamentary experts from four established democracies representing a range of parliamentary models served as discussion facilitators thereby permitting aa exchange of information and experiences between the West African parliaments and legislatures with long-term experience. The seminar focused on institutional procedures that would be essential in making the national assemblies of participating countries effective and responsive national legislatures. Discussions were centered around the following topics that had been identified and developed in close consultation with three of the national assemblies: the role of political parties in a multiparty legislature; legislative oversight funct~ons,access to information and analysis; the committee system; constituency servicing; the roIe of parliamentary opposition; and legislative relations with the executive branch, the media and the civil service. 11. BACKGROUND Over the past four years, Benin, Mali and Niger have taken similar paths in terns of political development underscored by the fluny of national conferences that took place in the region once Benin had established the precedent in 1990. These national conferences led to a negotiated transition in Benin, Mali and Niger under the guidance of caretaker governments. All three countries have since experienced meaningful elections, and are facing new challenges trying to consolidate democratic governance in the post-election period. Burkina Faso did not organize a national conference nor did it go through a transition as did the other three countries. The electoral process was highly contentious with some segments of political opposition boycotting the national elections of 1992. There is a scanty opposition represented in the Burkinabe parliament. Nevertheless there is some recognition that exposing deputies from Burkina Faso to democratic institutions in neighboring countries will enhance the prospects for further democratization in that country. Even though these parliaments operate in dissimilar political environment, NDI considered it useful to provide their representatives with a regional forum for the exchange of ideas and experiences. During the election phase in these countries many parties functioned more like groupings around personalities, or electoral clubs, lacking any clear policy agenda. Problems of regionalism and tribalism also exacerbated the problem of parties identifying themselves with narrow regional i~~terests.In the period following national elections, political parties in these countries have felt the need to adjust to new roles including developing effective and pro-active legislative strategies. One of the key issues that these national assemblies had to address, was how to reconcile party interests with parliamentary effectiveness. Under the weight of the legacy of the former regimes and one party rule, even the fundamental principles of parliamentary rule were obscured. At this early stage of the political transition in most of these countries, the role of a parliamentary opposition for example, is often poorly understood on both sides of the aisle. One effect of this is that minority parties lose sight of the fact that they can play an important advocacy role despite their position in the opposition. Conversely, sitting governments tend to ignore every contribution that originates from political opposition irrespective of how constructive it looks. A. Benin General Political Backeround Known as Dahomey until 1975, Benin was a French colony until its official independence in 1960. The 12-year period subsequent to Dahomey's independence was characterized by extfeiile political unrest and numerous coups, one of which Ied to the emergence in 1972 of Major Mathieu Kerekou. Two years later, in December 1974, Kerekou declared Dahomey a Marxist-Leninist state. Over the course of the next 15 years, Kerekou attempted to restructure the government, the economy and civil society along Marxist-Leninist lines. Following two NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS unsuccessful coup attempts in 1975, a single party, the People's Revolutionary Party of Benin (PRPB), closely modeled after political parties in Communist countries was created. The party and its Central Committee would play a primary role in governmental decision-making throughout Kerekou's tenure. In December 1975, Dahomey was renamed the "People's Republic of Benin." Benin, under Kerekou's leadership, suffered great economic hardships leading to accusations of corruption, nepotism, negligence and misappropriation of government funds. Finally, in 1989, as a result of escalating charges of widespread corruption within the country, the government yielded to domestic and international pressure and began enacting radical change. From February 19 to 28, 1990, a national conference was convened in Cotonou. Some 490 delegaies from more than 50 political organizations attended. The conference formed an interim Haut Conseil de la RCpublique (HCR), which counted among its 27 members three former presidents who had returned to Benin as leaders of opposition parties. Nicephore Soglo, a former World Bank official, was named interim prime minister. In April 1990, a preliminary constitution allowing for a multiparty system, was submitted to the HCR. The new constitution counter-balanced the executive with several institutions, including a multiparty legislature, an independent judiciary and an economic and social council. By December, the draft constitution received 80 percent approval in a nation-wide referendum. Two months later, the people of Benin elected representatives to the legislature. Then with 67 percent in the second round of voting, Nicephore Soglo won the presidential elections. Benin National Assemblv Twenty-four political parties, many of whom had entered into electoral alliances, ran in the February 1991 elections. None of the two dozen parties received a majority of the seats. The largest plurality, 12 of 64 seats, were initially held by an alliance of three parties that was that were supportive the policies of President Soglo. In total, 21 political parties secured seats in the legislature. Throughout 1992 and 1993, the Republic of Benin consolidated the democratic institutions of the new government chosen in multiparty elections. The executive and legislative branches engaged in public debate over matters of national interest such as the privatization of state-owned enterprises. By August 1992, however, a presidential majority had been formed within the national assembly, easing the way for President Soglo to move ahead with his legislative program. The lack of stable alliances resulted in the October 1993 dissolution of the presidential majority due to a lack of ministerial appointments for members of the coalition in a recent ~resirtrffie,andanewmajority~yettu~ate~. NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE-- FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS NDI Activities in Benin NDI first worked with Beninese democrats when it organized a three-day election observer training seminar in Cotonou, Benin in November 1991. The conference was held in cooperation with the Benin-based chapter of the Study and Research Group on Democracy and Economic and Social Development (GERDDES). The program provided practical information to fledgling organizations interested in promoting fair elections, but unfamiliar with the basic techniques used to enhance confidence and participation in the electoral process. Workshop sessions focusing on such issues as poll watching, independent vote count systems and voter education programs were interspersed throughout the conference. Following a survey mission in early 1993, NDI and GERDDES-Benin co-sponsored a seminar entitled "Political Parties: the Building Blocks of Democracy," which took place from March 26 to 28. The seminar was attended by 60 participants drawn from the national assembly, party activists and officials, civic organizers and the press. The
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