TENSIONS run high in Togo as citizens cast their ballots in legislative elections against the backdrop of contentious constitutional amendments, with opponents alleging a move to entrench President Faure Gnassingbe’s family’s grip on power. The electoral process follows recent reforms that have sparked widespread debate over their implications for the country’s political landscape.
The constitutional overhaul, approved by lawmakers earlier this month, introduces a new prime minister-style position, raising concerns among critics that it is tailor-made to circumvent presidential term limits and enable Gnassingbe to extend his tenure. Gnassingbe, who has held office for nearly two decades, succeeded his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled for almost four decades following a coup.
With 113 lawmakers to be elected, alongside 179 regional deputies and municipal councillors tasked with electing a newly established Senate, Monday’s vote is poised to shape Togo’s political future significantly.
While Gnassingbe’s ruling UNIR party asserts that the reforms aim to enhance representation, opposition parties rally supporters to oppose what they label as an ‘institutional coup.’
‘We want a strong turnout on Monday so we can give the opposition the chance to win and take control of the parliament,’ remarked Afi Akladji, a supporter of the main ANC opposition party.
At 57 years old, Gnassingbe has already secured four election victories, all contested by the opposition as flawed. Under the previous constitution, he would have been limited to one more presidential term in 2025.
Under the new constitution, the president’s role transitions to a predominantly ceremonial position, elected by parliament rather than the people, for a four-year term. This shift marks a move from a presidential to a parliamentary system, concentrating power in the hands of the new president of the council of ministers, who will lead the majority party in the assembly.
For supporters of Gnassingbe’s Union for the Republic (UNIR) party, extending his tenure signifies continuity with development initiatives that have purportedly improved infrastructure across the nation.
‘We have roads, particularly in Lome, schools have been built, projects have been initiated for women, young people, and farmers,’ highlighted Evariste Yalo, a UNIR activist.
As the electoral process unfolds, regional observer missions, including representatives from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), are monitoring the proceedings. However, opposition attempts to organise protests against the reforms were reportedly thwarted by authorities, with foreign press coverage temporarily suspended by Togo’s High Authority for Audiovisual and Communication (HAAC).