Togo’s long-awaited first senatorial elections have been delayed by two weeks, with the new vote scheduled for February 15, 2024, according to a presidential decree issued Friday evening. The delay is intended to give political parties “more time to organize” and prepare for the elections, which have become another point of controversy in the country’s evolving political landscape.
Campaigning for the elections is now set to begin on January 30, 2024. The elections are a critical step in implementing a new constitution, but the process has been marked by strong opposition from civil society groups and political parties. Critics, particularly from the opposition, argue that the constitutional changes undermine democratic principles and consolidate power in the hands of President Faure Gnassingbé, who has led the country since 2005.
The Senate, which was formally established by a constitutional revision in 2002, has never been operational. Under the new constitution, it will be composed of 61 members: 41 senators will be elected by regional and municipal councillors, while the remaining 20 will be appointed directly by the President of the Council of Ministers.
Opposition parties such as the Alliance Nationale pour le Changement (ANC) and Dynamique pour la Majorité du Peuple (DMP) have denounced the changes, claiming that the new Senate is part of a broader strategy to entrench President Gnassingbé’s grip on power. The ANC and DMP have vowed to boycott the elections, calling them a “constitutional coup d’état” that serves the interests of the ruling elite.
Togo’s new controversial Constitution
The new constitution, which shifts Togo from a presidential to a parliamentary system, has sparked fierce debate. Critics argue that it effectively enables President Gnassingbé to remain in power indefinitely, consolidating authority at the executive level. In April 2024, Gnassingbé’s political party, UNIR, was declared winner of a commanding 108 of 113 seats in the legislative elections.
Togo has been ruled by the Gnassingbé family for nearly 60 years. President Gnassingbé succeeded his father, Gnassingbé Eyadéma, who governed the country for 38 years before his death in 2005.
