Heading into the legislative election, Togolese citizens are divided over a controversial constitutional amendment that critics claim prolongs President Faure Gnassingbe’s family’s long-standing hold on power.
The legislation that creates a new role akin to that of prime minister, which opponents believe is designed to allow Gnassingbe to evade term limits and remain in government, was adopted by MPs this month, prompting the ballot.
Faure Gnassingbe, who has been in power for nearly 20 years, succeeded his father Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled for almost four decades himself following a coup in the small coastal West African state between Benin and Ghana.
In addition to electing 113 legislators, Monday’s vote will also pick 179 regional deputies from each of the nation’s five districts, who will choose a newly formed Senate alongside local council members.
Despite Gnassingbe’s ruling UNIR party’e claim that this makes Togo more representative, opposition parties have called on Citizens of the country to make a statement and vote against what they term “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,” said Afi Akladji, a shoe seller and a supporter of the main ANC opposition party.
“We are not in a kingdom, the opposition will win these elections.”
The opposition has challenged each of the four elections that Gnassingbe,57, has already won as being flawed. Under the old constitution, he would have been limited to one more presidential run in 2025.
According to the new constitution adopted by lawmakers on April 19, Togo’s president becomes a mostly ceremonial role elected by parliament, and not the people, for a four-year term.
Togo shifted from a presidential to a parliamentary system, meaning power resides with the new president of the council of ministers, a sort of super-Prime Minister, who automatically will be the leader of the majority party in the new assembly.
Gnassingbe’s Union for the Republic, or UNIR party, already dominates parliament. If the ruling party wins on Monday, Gnassingbe can assume that new post.
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