Togo's recent constitutional change sparks debate on whether it serves as a model for autocratic rule.
Togo's Faure Gnassingbé bypasses term limits and consolidates power
Faure Gnassingbé, the president of Togo, has avoided term limits and maintained power by orchestrating a constitutional amendment in 2025. This amendment created a new political office called the "Council President" with no term limits and broad executive powers.
Gnassingbé transitioned from the presidency to this Council President role, effectively centralising power in his hands while relegating the presidency to a largely ceremonial position. This move legally bypassed previous presidential term limits and allowed him to stay in power indefinitely.
Under the new constitutional framework, Gnassingbé was appointed as the prime minister, a position endowed with full executive authority, while the new president holds a mainly symbolic role. This dual shift in roles enables Gnassingbé to control the government apparatus and remain the true political leader without directly holding the presidency.
The constitutional reform has been widely criticised as a legal mechanism engineered to entrench Faure Gnassingbé’s rule indefinitely. This has sparked mass protests, especially from youth and grassroots groups, who see the change as a way to institutionalise authoritarianism and concentrate power in his hands. The crackdown on dissent has been harsh, escalating political repression in the country.
A summary of Gnassingbé's power consolidation
| Mechanism | Description | |--------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Constitutional amendment (2025) | Created the "Council President" role with no term limits, broad executive powers | | Role reallocation | Faure moved from President to Council President and Prime Minister, retaining real executive power | | Presidency become ceremonial | New president position is nominal, removing executive control from the presidency | | Suppression of opposition and protests | Crackdowns on dissent following protests against the constitutional changes |
This combination of constitutional reform and strategic appointments has allowed Faure Gnassingbé to circumvent previous presidential term limits and maintain an authoritarian grip on power despite public opposition.
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