The attempt to unseat President Talon was a reckless assault on a functioning democratic order. A small group of soldiers briefly seized state television, claiming authority without public backing, and attempted to draw Benin into the Sahel’'s cycle of coups cycle. Loyal forces restored control within hours, showing institutions still hold. This was no attempt at reform, but a destabilizing power grab that risked stability, elections, and the hard-won calm that Beninese citizens had worked to preserve.