The World Briefly

March 27, 2024

The New Republic

Togo

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Togolese lawmakers this week voted in favor of a new constitution that would move the small West African country from a presidential to a parliamentary system, a vote that comes less than a month ahead of its legislative elections, Agence France-Presse reported.

The new constitution says that lawmakers will choose the president “without debate” for a single six-year term. Currently, the president can serve a maximum of two five-year terms.

The changes also introduce the position of “president of the council of ministers,” who will have “full authority and power to manage the affairs of the government and to be held accountable accordingly.”

Tchitchao Tchalim, chairman of the parliamentary committee on constitutional laws, legislation, and general administration, explained that the head of state – i.e. the president – will lose power to the president of the council of ministers, who will represent Togo abroad and in effect manage the country’s daily affairs.

Lawmakers voted on the new constitution almost unanimously, but it’s unclear when the changes will come into force.

Meanwhile, Togo is slated to elect a new parliament on April 20. The current legislature is dominated by the ruling Union for the Republic and the opposition is poorly represented.

In 2019, parliament amended the constitution to restrict presidential terms to two, but the change wasn’t retroactive, allowing President Faure Gnassingbe – in power since 2005 – to run for two more terms and remain in power until 2030.

Gnassingbe succeeded his father, General Gnassingbe Eyadema, who seized power in a coup more than 50 years ago.

Now, under the new constitution, which does not take into account the time he has already spent in office, Faure Gnassingbe could stay in power until 2031 if he is re-elected in 2025, Reuters wrote.

“This is the umpteenth preparation of a constitutional coup by a monarchical regime that has held the country’s destiny hostage for almost 60 years,” said one of Togo’s opposition parties, the Democratic Forces of the Republic.

Numerous African countries, including the Central African Republic, Rwanda, the Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast and Guinea, have pushed through constitutional changes in recent years to allow their presidents to extend their terms in office, the news wire wrote.

This story originally appeared in the March 27, 2024 newsletter, Last Stop Before Paradise.