2019 Beninese Parliamentary Election Sunday April 28,2019

Beninese are voting for a new parliament but without a single opposition candidate, as rights groups warn of a crackdown in a country once seen as a model for democracy.

As polls opened at 7am (06:00 GMT) on Sunday April 28,2019, people in the small West African state voted to elect 83 members of parliament from two parties - both allied to President Patrice Talon. 

In Benin's economic capital, Cotonou, a stream of cars and trucks pass by, painted in the colours of the two parties, the Progressives and Republicans.

With a blanket ban on demonstrations, there seemed to be little reaction, even after two former presidents, Nicephorus Soglo and Thomas Boni Yayi, urged people to take to the streets to protest

Before 1991, Benin struggled under decades of authoritarian rule. The transition to democracy brought a flowering of political competition - five years ago, voters could choose from 20 parties for the 83 seats in parliament.

But this year, MPs from the ruling party pushed through a new electoral code.

Talon, elected in 2016, portrays himself as a reformer and modernist. He defended the electoral code, saying it would bring together scores of political parties into simpler blocs.