Benin's constitutional court on Thursday approved the provisional results of this week's election giving President Patrice Talon a landslide victory after he faced only two little-known opponents. Talon won 86.3 percent in the April 11 election critics said was biased in his favour after a crackdown on opposition leaders left most of them exiled or disqualified from running in the ballot. The constitutional court said it had cleared the preliminary results and any appeals could be made in the next five days, after which it will approve a definitive tally of ballots. "The election on April 11, 2021 was regular, sincere and transparent," the court's president Joseph Djogbenou said. He confirmed results showing Talon had received the absolute majority of votes and was re-elected in the first round. Talon, 62, appears free of major challenges for now with his major rivals sidelined in a West African country once praised as a beacon of multi-party democracy. Two people were killed by gunfire and five more wounded last week when troops opened fire in the air with live rounds to clear an opposition protest blockading a major highway in the centre of the country. Government officials say security forces responded after they came under fire. Once hailed for its vibrant pluralism, critics say Benin has veered into authoritarian rule under Talon with a steady campaign against his opponents. Some have fled Benin while others were disqualified from running by election law reforms or targeted for investigation by a special court critics say Talon used against his rivals. str/pma/jv