Northern ethnic groups enlisted during Kerekou's early years in power still dominate the military. Political Rights and Civil Liberties Benin held its first genuine multiparty elections in 1991. Its citizens again exercised their right to elect and change their leaders freely in 1995 legislative and 1996 presidential elections. Legislative polls in March 1995 returned an opposition majority. While marred by some irregularities, the March 1996 presidential contest was generally free and fair.
Adult suffrage is universal, and voting is by secret ballot.
The June replacement of the widely respected president of the Constitutional Court, which has ruled against both the president and the legislature on various issues, has raised questions of its continued impartiality. The judiciary is generally considered to be independent, but inefficient due to lack of staff and training. Pretrial detainees comprise three-fourths of inmates in severely overcrowded prisons, where poor medical care and diet cause many preventable deaths. Harsh police practices to combat a wave of violent crime have raised civil liberties concerns. Constitutional guarantees of freedom of expression are respected in practice.