CHAPTER THREE: DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL GOVERNANCE __________________________________________________________________________ 214. The issue of whether the separation of powers, and its related control mechanisms, is effective is of major interest in this institutional environment. Since the 1990 constitution came into effect, each of the powers has carried out its function relatively well. Looking at the CSAR and the TRI reports, very rarely has the public or even the CRM had occasion to blame the separation of powers for a serious problem in a government institution. Parliament regularly exercises its control over government activities through written or verbal questions. The Constitutional Court also regularly and independently performs its function of regulating political life. 215. However, the poor institutional capacity of some authorities – such as the National Assembly (as the parliamentarians themselves admit), the Supreme Court, the High Court of Justice, and the courts and tribunals – must be condemned because it undermines the power of the Executive and its head, who is simultaneously head of state and head of government. This could result in the abuse and personalisation of the power of the president. 216. The work of focus groups and the information gathered by the CRM during its field work attest to this. An opinion poll conducted in June 2007 revealed that 34.78% of those polled believe that the current constitutional mechanisms promote the separation and balance of powers. However, 15.05% did not agree. This leaves a very high number of people who were noncommittal (50.17%, more than half the interviewees) because they had no knowledge of the issues. 217. However, many of those interviewed thought that the prerogatives given to the Executive by the constitution have made the Executive so strong that the other powers, particularly the legislature, do not have real influence. Many others were emphatic that there is some collusion between powers so that it would seem as if there was one power instead of several. It has become imperative to introduce better checks of the different functions and to strengthen control of the actions of the Executive through a stronger Parliament and independent courts. These checks and controls, together with a better organised civil society, will help prevent any tendency towards personalising state power. Box 3.5: Presidential leadership Participatory support for the vision of an emerging Benin Under a presidential system of government, the issue of leadership seems to be of utmost concern. The president of the republic is seen as “the purveyor of prosperity and development”. The election of a new president, ripe with campaign promises, raises the hopes of a people beset by endemic poverty and bereft of freedom. In Benin, the issue of how to transform the presidential vision of an emerging Benin into a common shared vision, implemented by all components of society, is a real challenge. The solution is to compile and implement an effective institutional communications strategy that will draw the active support of all citizens. Consequently, more sustained attention should be paid to the information flow between the base and the top. A greater chance of success is 94