Patrice Talon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids His Excellency Patrice Talon
Talon in 2020
8th President of Benin
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 April 2016
Vice President	Mariam Chabi Talata (2021–present)
Preceded by	Thomas Boni Yayi
Personal details
Born	(1958-05-01) 1 May 1958 (age 67) Ouidah, Dahomey
Political party	Independent
Spouse	Claudine Gbènagnon
Children	2
Alma mater	University of Dakar École nationale de l'aviation civile
Signature

Patrice Guillaume Athanase Talon (born on May 1, 1958) is a businessman and politician from Benin. He has been the eighth president of Benin since April 6, 2016.

Early Life and Education

Patrice Talon was born in the city of Ouidah, Benin. He is part of the Fon ethnic group. His father's family was from Ouidah, and his mother's family was from Abomey. Some of his ancestors were involved in the slave trade many years ago.

For his education, Talon went to high school in Dakar, the capital of Senegal. He then studied science at the University of Dakar. He dreamed of becoming a pilot and went to a special aviation school in Paris, France. However, he could not become a pilot because he failed a medical test.

Business Career

After his studies, Talon started a career in business. In 1983, he began trading packaging and supplies for farms. Two years later, he returned to Benin and started his own company. His company provided supplies to farmers who grew cotton.

At the time, the government of Benin controlled the cotton industry. In the 1990s, the government decided to let private companies get more involved. Talon took this opportunity to build three factories for processing cotton. He became very successful in the cotton industry and was often called the "King of Cotton." His connections with political leaders in Benin helped his business grow.

Talon also supported the political campaigns of President Thomas Boni Yayi in 2006 and 2011. However, their relationship later became difficult. Talon was accused of not paying a large amount of taxes and left the country for France in 2012. He was also accused of being part of a plot against President Boni Yayi. In 2014, he was officially forgiven and the issues were resolved.

By 2015, Forbes magazine said he was one of the richest people in his part of Africa. His wealth was estimated to be around 400 million U.S. dollars.

Becoming President of Benin

In 2016, Patrice Talon decided to run for president as an independent candidate, meaning he did not belong to a major political party. In the first round of voting, he came in second place. In the second round, he won with 65% of the vote.

After winning, Talon promised to make big changes. One of his main goals was to change the constitution to limit presidents to only one five-year term. He believed this would prevent leaders from becoming too comfortable in power. He also planned to make the government smaller and more efficient.

First Term as President

Talon officially became president on April 6, 2016. He quickly formed his new government. He appointed some of his former opponents to important roles. Talon promised to improve Benin's economy and its relationship with France.

In 2017, he tried to pass his idea of a single presidential term. The bill needed 63 votes in the National Assembly to pass, but it only received 60. Talon said he was disappointed but respected the decision.

During his presidency, some people felt that democracy in Benin was getting weaker. New laws made it harder for people to run for president unless they had support from many members of parliament, most of whom supported Talon.

Second Term and Recent Events

Despite his earlier idea for a single term, Talon ran for president again in 2021. He won the election with 86% of the vote. During this time, some of his political opponents faced serious legal trouble and were sent to prison.

In March 2022, Talon was chosen to be the new president of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), an organization of countries in West Africa that work together on economic issues.

In July 2023, a military coup happened in the neighboring country of Niger. Talon showed his support for the removed president, Mohamed Bazoum, and said the coup was wrong.

In September 2024, the government of Benin announced it had stopped a planned coup against President Talon. A businessman and a former government minister were arrested. In January 2025, they were found guilty and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

On January 23, 2025, Talon announced that he would not try to run for a third term as president. He confirmed that he would respect the constitution, which limits a president to two terms. He repeated this promise in March 2025, stating he would not be a candidate in the 2026 election.

Personal Life

Patrice Talon is married to Claudine Gbènagnon. They have two children.

See also

In Spanish: Patrice Talon para niños