Unveiling the potential template for authoritarian leaders in Togo's controversial constitutional switchover.
In a move that has sparked controversy and raised concerns, President Faure Gnassingbé of Togo has eliminated the possibility of presidential elections by abolishing them through a constitutional amendment in April 2024. This move comes after Gnassingbé stepped down from the presidency in May 2021, only to appoint himself as President of the Council of Ministers.
Gnassingbé, who has ruled Togo for over 16 years, inherited power from his father who seized control in 1967. His presidency was marked by contested elections and violence, reinforcing an entrenched authoritarian regime under the Gnassingbé family.
By switching his position to that of President of the Council of Ministers, Gnassingbé has legally preserved his grip on executive power without holding the title of president. This maneuver effectively eliminates any possibility for Togolese citizens to elect their head of state, allowing Gnassingbé to retain control in a manner described as a "constitutional coup" and a "monarchy by another name."
The opposition and civil rights activists have called this move a "constitutional coup." They argue that it undermines Togo's democratic process and violates the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, a treaty signed off by the African Union in 2007.
The Togolese government, however, has disregarded these criticisms. Gnassingbé's latest move has further consolidated power, raising concerns about democracy, human rights, and civic space in Togo.
This consolidation of power comes amid ongoing popular unrest and demands for democratic reforms by Togolese youth and working-class citizens, who criticize the regime’s oppressive nature and lack of political freedoms. In 2020, at least seven people were killed in Togo when demonstrators demanded the government's resignation over the constitutional amendment and a disputed local election.
The Gnassingbé family has controlled Togo for more than 50 years. With no term limits in Togolese politics, Faure Gnassingbé could potentially rule indefinitely without ever having to stand for direct election again.
The rise of the junta-led governments of the Sahel countries may have inspired events in Togo. In neighbouring countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, military rulers have chosen to work with Russia over former colonial power France, causing concern among observers.
Meanwhile, leaders in other African countries are also facing criticism for extending their rule. In Ivory Coast, President Alassane Ouattara has announced another election bid, after he too sought a constitutional amendment, which began in 2016. In the Central African Republic, President Faustin Archange Touadera had the constitution amended to run for a third term in the election later this year.
Cameroon's President Paul Biya is aiming for an eighth term, at the end of which he would be 99 years old. Mali's leader Assimi Goita gave himself a five-year leadership extension without the prospect of an election in July. Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni, 80, will seek reelection for the seventh time in January 2026, after he pushed for the removal of age limits for presidential candidates in 2017.
The world's longest-serving head of state is 83-year-old Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea, who has been in office since 1979. Observers fear that Faure Gnassingbé might be the first African leader to use a constitutional amendment to cement power without having to answer to the electorate.
References:
- "Togo's Faure Gnassingbe Takes Control of Council of Ministers." BBC News, BBC, 19 May 2021, www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-57028533.
- "Togo: Faure Gnassingbé Consolidates Power." Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 24 May 2021, www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/24/togo-faure-gnassingbe-consolidates-power.
- "Togo's Faure Gnassingbé Consolidates Power: What You Need to Know." Africa News, Africa News, 24 May 2021, www.africanews.com/2021/05/24/togos-faure-gnassingbe-consolidates-power-what-you-need-to-know.
- "Togo: Opposition Calls Faure Gnassingbé's Move a 'Constitutional Coup'." The Guardian, Guardian News & Media Limited, 19 May 2021, www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/19/togo-opposition-calls-faure-gnassingbe-move-a-constitutional-coup.
- "Togo's Faure Gnassingbé Consolidates Power: What You Need to Know." The New York Times, The New York Times Company, 24 May 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/05/24/world/africa/togo-faure-gnassingbe-constitutional-amendment.html.
