Former Benin President Patrice Talon has returned to the country’s political arena less than three months after leaving office, becoming president of the newly established Senate. Talon was the institution’s only candidate and won 24 of 25 votes, with one blank ballot and none against him. Critics argue the Senate, whose members are appointed rather than elected, was designed partly to give Talon a post-presidency platform. It is tasked with regulating political life, will convene four times annually, and has authority to suspend the civic or political rights of all elected officials, except the president and the leaders of the National Assembly and the Economic and Social Council. With his election, Talon is now Benin’s third-ranking state official, behind the president and vice president.