Les Démocrates (The Democrats), Benin's (a small West African nation) principal opposition party, is attempting to rebuild after failing to field a candidate in this week's presidential election and winning no seats at any level of government, leaving it without elected representation for the next seven years. The party, which was barred from the presidential race due to insufficient sponsorship signatures, is also engulfed in an internal leadership dispute, with former president Thomas Boni Yayi having stepped down and several senior figures defecting to the ruling camp; a court is set to rule on 16 April on a contested leadership succession between rival factions. The party's administrative secretary said Les Démocrates would monitor the conduct of president-elect Romuald Wadagni — who won provisional results with 94% of the vote — before deciding on its political stance, while calling for the release of political prisoners and the return of exiles.