资源描述：
《014《经济学家》读译参考之十四：小国家大典范-贝宁,非洲政治异端？》由会员上传分享，免费在线阅读，更多相关内容在工程资料-天天文库。
1、TEXT14Smallcountry,bigexampleMar16th2006IPORTO-NOVOFromTheEconomistprinteditionStillanunusualsuccessfordemocracy—★fingerscrossed[l]ONMarch5th,Beninwenttothepollsforthefourthpresidentialelectionsincemulti-partydemocracywasintroducedin1990:nomeanachievementinwestAfrica.Evenmoreimpressiv
2、ewasthefactthatPresidentMathieuKerekoudidnot★standfor[2]re-election,nordidhisgreatrival,NicephoreSoglo,whowaspresidentfrom1991-96.Bothhavepassedtheconstitution'sage1①of70.(1)ThatrespectfortheconstitutiongoesadmirablyagainstAfrica'strendforheadsofstatetochangethelawtostayevenlongerinof
3、fice.Beninhasfewerthan8mpeople・1(isoneofthep②countriesonearth・Andyet,inAfrica,itisalsoademocratic★exemplar[3].ManyofAfrica'sformerFrenchcoloniesbroughtinmulti-partydemocracyonlywhenforcedtobytheFrench一inreturnformoreaid一inJune1990.(2)HavingabandonedMarxism^MrKerekou,Benin'spresidentan
4、dmilitaryruler,notonlylegalisedoppositionpartiesseveralmonthsbeforethen,butalso★stooddown[4]afterhiselectoraldefeattoMrSogloin1991.SoBeninbecamethefirstAfricancountrywhereanincumbentranforre-election,lostandgraciously★bowedout[5].Sincethen,d③hasimplanteditselfstronglyinthemindsofBenin
5、'scitizens・uOurhistoryissoterrible,withcoupsandyearsofproblems,thatnowwcallcareaboutdemocracyverydeeply/9saysoneofthem.Still,theelectiondidnotgosmoothly.Electoralmaterials,i④votingforms,sealsforballotboxesandeventhe★ums[6]themselvesturneduplateornotatall,causingmostpollingstationstoop
6、enhourslate.Althoughtheyallthenstayedopenfortheregulationninehours,electionofficialswereoftenabsentandmanyhadnotbeenproperlytrained・MrKerekoublamedtheindependentelectoralcommission,hintingthattheerrorswerenotaccidental.(3)Allthesame,turnoutwashigh.ProvisionalresultssuggestthatYayiBoni
7、,abanker,isaheadandwillbefacedinasecondroundbyAdrienHoungbedji,aformerprimeministerandlong-timerivalofMrKerekou.Severalothermoreminorcandidateshavefiledcomplaintsabouttheelectionprocesswiththeconstitutionalcourt.Itis,alas,possiblethatasecondroundmaynottakep⑤.MrKerekouhastalked★darkly[
8、7Joff
