By: Nanthana Sureshkumar
The government of Togo has recently approved changes to the constitution, in regards to presidential term limits and how presidents are elected. Some opposition politicians and civil society groups have denounced this reform as a constitutional coup. This reform had already been adopted by the parliament on March 25, but backlash from the opposition led to President Faure Gnassingbe being called for further consultations and a second vote. The final approval of this law was given just before the April 29 elections and had also been pushed back because of issues with the constitutional amendments. The second reading of this bill was passed agreeing to the new system, under which the president will be elected by members of parliament rather than universal suffrage.
The amendments have also introduced a parliamentary system of government and shortened presidential terms to four years from five with a two-term limit. This system does not take into account the time the candidate has already spent in office. This new change could enable Gnassingbe to stay in power until 2033 if he is reelected in 2025, a scenario that is most likely since his party controls the parliament. Those who are opposed to the changes fear they could allow further extensions of the president’s 19-year rule and his family’s hold on power. His father and predecessor Gnassingbe Eyadema seized power in the coastal West African country via a coup in 1997. Given the history of the country, this change to the constitution is most likely to lead to the current president holding onto his power for the next eight to ten years.
Members of the ruling UNIR party see this constitutional reform as an opportunity for more inclusive and participatory decision-making, while others see this as a coup on democracy. There has been a group of 17 civil society organizations that have declared these constitutional amendments are an opportunity for the regime to confiscate power by a regime that is opposed to any form of democratic change. This group of organizations has also called for ECOWAS, West Africa’s main political and economic bloc to take action in response to this change. The president of the opposition party, Nathaniel Olympio, has said that”…the major concern of his regime is to preserve power by any means.” This was said before the historical vote that took place regarding the new constitutional amendments.
Several other African countries have pushed through constitutional and other legal changes in recent years, allowing presidents to extend their terms in office. The West and Central African region has also witnessed eight military coups in the past three years. Under Gnassingbe, violent police crackdowns on political demonstrations have been routine. The last time Gnassingbe was reelected was in a 2020 landslide disputed by the opposition. The new constitution also creates a new role, president of the council of ministers, with extensive authority to manage government affairs.
Sources:
World Affairs Council of Charlotte 