Passion or Profession: President

Period: 1934–

Born in Togo and educated in France, Soglo held various government posts before becoming prime minister in 1990 as part of the interim government that prepared Benin for multiparty elections the following year. He defeated longtime president Mathieu Kérékou in those elections but was voted out of office in favor of Kérékou in 1996. Soglo remains the leader of the opposition. In 2001 elections, he accused Kérékou of voter fraud and withdrew from a second round runoff, allowing his rival to win reelection easily.