The Togolese National Assembly adopted a new constitution on Monday, March 25, 2024, that calls for lawmakers to elect the president for a single six-year term, not the Togolese citizens. The president currently may serve up to two five-year terms. If signed by President Faure Gnassingbe, the new constitution ushers in a new position, “president of the council of ministers,” which is also a single six-year term. As pointed out by AFP, the president of the council of ministers will have more authority than the president and is the politician who “represents the Togolese Republic abroad, and who effectively leads the country in its day-to-day management.” The president of the council of ministers will be the leader of the majority party or the leader of the winning coalition party. Lawmakers will continue to be elected by the Togolese citizens and will continue to serve up to two six-year terms. During the vote by the National Assembly, 89 lawmakers voted in favor, one voted against, and one abstained. The change to the constitution, which was proposed by a national assembly run mostly by the Union for the Republic ruling party, comes less than a month before the next legislative elections on April 20, which the opposition plans to participate in. The national assembly is poorly represented by the opposition because it boycotted the last legislative elections in 2018, citing irregularities in voter registrations. According to AP, lecturer in constitutional law at the University of Lome Zeus Ajavon maintains that “the Assembly has no power to revise a constitution,” because “the power to revise the constitution is vested in it during its term of office.” Ajavon also believes a referendum is necessary for the nation to change the constitution. Since the new constitution, if signed by President Gnassingbe, does not count the time he has already spent in office, it is likely he will continue to serve as president until 2031, given the majority rule of his party. Gnassingbe became president of Togo in 2005 after the death of his father General Gnassingbe Eyadema who took control of the Togolese government in 1967 after a military coup. Violent suppression of political demonstrations has been the norm during the Gnassingbe dynasty.
