Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe has officially signed the revised constitution of the West African country, as announced by the government on Monday.
This move comes despite opposition parties’ determination to prevent the constitution from becoming law. The passing of the amended legislation in March led to widespread protests in Togo, with critics arguing that it eliminates presidential elections and grants parliament the authority to select the president.
Additionally, the revised constitution extends the presidential term from five to six years. As a result of these changes, the parliamentary and regional elections, originally scheduled for April 20, were extended by nine days.
Opposition coalitions, including the National Alliance for Change (ANC) party, have strongly criticized the reforms, viewing them as an attempt to prolong President Gnassingbe’s rule.
President Gnassingbe’s office, on the other hand, claims that the new constitution signifies a “new stage in the institutional life” of the country and a “strengthening of democracy.” Despite the government’s ban on protests, a group consisting of approximately 20 Togolese civil society organizations has called for demonstrations to demand the reinstatement of the old constitution.
They argue that elections are crucial for the people to choose a new president and achieve a democratic transition when Gnassingbe’s current mandate expires in 2025.
The endorsement of the revised constitution comes shortly after the ruling Union for the Republic (UNIR) party won a majority of parliament seats in the legislative elections held on April 29, securing 108 out of 113 seats, according to preliminary results released by the Electoral Commission (EC).
