Togo Postpones Elections Due to Legislative Dispute

Togo’s parliamentary and regional elections, originally set for April 20, have been rescheduled for April 29. The decision to postpone the elections was made to allow for discussions on proposed constitutional changes, which were approved by lawmakers in late March.

The proposed changes include eliminating presidential elections and giving parliament the authority to select the president.

Additionally, the presidential term would be extended from five to six years. While some legal experts argue that this would limit the power of future presidents, opposition parties view it as an attempt to prolong President Faure Gnassingbe’s rule.

Opposition coalitions, such as the National Alliance for Change (ANC) party, have vowed to protest against the proposed changes.

Recently, nine opposition activists were arrested for allegedly disrupting public order, but were released on Tuesday. The government has denied permission for a three-day protest against the legislative reform and criticized the arrest of opposition figures.