- Togo’s president has signed a new constitution that abolishes presidential elections and allows parliament to choose the president.
- President Faure Gnassingbé’s ruling party won a majority of seats in recent elections.
- The new constitution extends presidential terms to six years, but Gunasingbe’s nearly 20-year term does not count against the term limit.
Togo’s president has signed a new constitution that abolishes presidential elections, the presidential palace announced late Monday, a move that opponents say will see him extend his family’s 60-year rule. Civil society groups in the West African country called for protests.
Congress will now choose the president. The new constitution was enacted days after the electoral commission announced on Saturday that President Faure Gnassingbé’s ruling party had won a majority in parliament.
The vote was preceded by a crackdown on civil and media freedoms. The government banned protests against the proposed new constitution and arrested opposition figures. The Election Commission prohibited the Catholic Church from sending election observers. Togo’s media regulator has suspended the accreditation process for foreign journalists.
Togo’s rewritten constitution sparks opposition and fears of dictatorship
The new constitution also extends the presidential term from five to six years and introduces a single-term limit. But Gnassingbé’s almost 20 years in office do not count, and opposition parties, religious leaders and civil society say he is likely to remain in power after his term expires in 2025.
Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbé (pictured above) has signed a new constitution abolishing presidential elections, his office announced on Monday. (AP Photo/Louis Joly, File)
Togo has been ruled by the same family for 57 years, first by Eyadema Gnassingbé and then by his son. Faure Gnassingbé took office after an election that opposition parties described as fraudulent.
The new constitution also creates a prime minister-like figure to be elected by the ruling party. Critics fear it could be another means of expanding Gnassingbé’s grip on power.
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About 20 civil society groups in Togo have called for protests calling for the restoration of the previous constitution.
“We will never accept this new constitution, even after its promulgation,” civil society group spokesman David Dosse told The Associated Press, adding that the 2025 election would be “a time when the people will choose a new president.” “It is absolutely necessary to choose and ultimately achieve national power.” Democratic transition in Togo. ”
