Faure Gnassingbé Assumes Newly Created Executive Role as Controversial Constitutional Change Takes Effect in Togo

UNIR continues to hold the overwhelming majority across both chambers of the national legislature, giving the party and Gnassingbé a firmer grip on power for the foreseeable future. Opposition and civil society leaders have denounced the constitutional reform that changed the country’s government system, terming it a political coup, as Gnassingbé can now continue to hold power indefinitely without directly seeking votes.

No term limit is assigned to the President of the Council of Ministers, a role reserved for the leader of the majority party in parliament.

Togo’s parliamentary elections, which were postponed twice due to a controversial constitutional reform, trigger an effective change from the presidential system of governance to a parliamentary one. Over the weekend, the head of the country’s electoral commission, Dago Yabre, announced on a national broadcast that the ruling Union for the Republic (UNIR) party won 108 of the 113 seats in the national assembly, following the April 29 polls. Yabre also stated that 61 percent of registered voters participated in the elections.

With the UNIR retaining its dominance in the legislative house, long-term President Faure Gnassingbé gets a runway to stay in power, should his party continue to remain in the majority in parliament.

In accordance with the newly approved constitutional reform, parliament now has the power to elect the president for a single four-year term. This means Gnassingbé can remain in office when his current term ends next year, continuing on till 2029, without facing voters. Even as his approval ratings have plummeted, Gnassingbé has been in office since 2005, after the death of his father who ruled Togo for almost four decades.

The reforms also intend to make the presidency more of a ceremonial post, which would significantly strip the incumbent of his powers. However, Gnassingbé is also eligible to slip into the newly created office, president of the council of ministers — a post akin to that of a prime minister — which is meant to be occupied by the leader of the majority party in parliament.

There are no term limits to being the president of the council of ministers, a role that will command executive power under the constitution change. Gnassingbé is expected to continue ruling Togo, a move the UNIR and its loyalists claim is better representative of the public’s mandate.

Opposition groups and many citizens denounced the constitutional changes, with planned protests banned by the government. After boycotting the 2018 parliamentary elections, citing irregularities in the candidate registration process and the country’s history with generally unreliable elections, opposition parties were hoping to wrestle a significant number of parliament seats, but could only muster wins in five.

Regional observers from the Economic Community of West African States said that they were satisfied with how the election was conducted, but opposition parties have alleged irregularities in the vote. Leading up to the elections, authorities banned foreign media from covering the elections following the arrest and deportation of French journalist Thomas Dietrich — who was reportedly assaulted by government security agents.

The UNIR will now control the national assembly, the newly created senate, which political opposition believes to be a rubber stamp apparatus for President Gnassingbé’s continued rule.