Togo To Elect First Senate In February Under Constitution Overhaul

Togo will hold its first elections for the upper House of Parliament, the Senate, on February 2ND next year as one of the last steps towards implementing a contested new constitution, the government said on Thursday.

The overhaul abolishes the election of the Head of State by universal suffrage and introduces a parliamentary system.

The move has been slammed by opposition and civil society groups as a ploy by President Faure Gnassingbe to hold on to power indefinitely.

Togo’s strongman has ruled over the small West African country of 8.8 million people since 2005, when he took over from his father in power for 38 years.

Recall that under the previous constitution, Gnassingbe would have been able to run for the presidency just one more time in 2025.