Togo elections: ruling party sweeps 108 out of 113 seats in parliament
In the legislative elections held on 29 April, Togo’s ruling Union for the Republic party (UNIR) won a commanding majority, securing 108 out of the 113 seats in parliament according to provisional results released by the electoral commission.
The elections took place amidst heightened political tensions following the recent approval of a controversial new constitution and a series of crackdowns on opposition protests. These results now pave the way for President Faure Gnassingbé to extend his nearly two-decade rule under the new charter.
With the ability to assume the newly created role of “president of the council of ministers”, similar to a prime minister, Gnassingbé can effectively bypass the term limits that were set under the previous constitution. This move has been criticized by opposition parties, who claim it will allow him to maintain a hold on power as long as UNIR continues to dominate the national assembly.
While regional observers have expressed satisfaction with the election process, opposition parties have raised concerns about irregularities in the vote. Despite boycotts in the past, they had hoped to gain more seats in parliament in order to challenge UNIR’s majority.
Gnassingbé ascended to power in 2005 following the death of his father, Gnassingbé Eyadéma, who had ruled Togo for nearly four decades.
There is a good reason why you should support the African Editors. Not everyone can afford to pay for news right now. That is why we keep our journalism open for everyone to read, including in Ghana. If this is you, please continue to read for free. But if you are able to, then there are three good reasons to support us today.
1. Our quality, journalism is a scrutinising force at a time when the rich and powerful are getting away with more and more.
2. We are independent and have no billionaire owner pulling the strings, so your money directly powers our reporting.
3. It doesn’t cost much, and takes less time than it took to read this message.
Help power the African Editors' journalism for the years to come, whether with a small sum or a larger one. If you can, please support us on a monthly basis from just 1 Ghana Cedi through mobile money number: 0599896099/ +23359989609 and you can be rest assured that you’re making a big impact every single month in support of open, independent journalism. Thank you.
