#africanews #togo
Just a few weeks ago, we were talking about a constitutional coup in Senegal where the former President Macky Sall, decided to postpone the election, which was to occur in February, to December 2024. According to the former President, he wanted to investigate and settle the dispute regarding the candidates. But that was a farce, it was either he wanted time so that he could contest again or he needed time to ensure that the candidate from his political party, Amadou Ba, won the election. Unfortunately for him, his plan did not work out as it was met with resistance from the people and regional bodies. Eventually, the election was rescheduled, and to the surprise of all, the opposition party candidate, Bassirou Diomaye Faye won the election. And, today we are celebrating the youngest elected president in the world, President Faye, who is ready to do great things.
However, it seems like the military coups which started in Mali and spread to the other countries in the Sahel, attempts at constitutional coups have begun to spread. Today, like Senegal, Togo, a Francophone country is on the verge of a constitutional coup carried out by the current administration. Similar to what happened in Senegal, the current administration headed by President Faure Gnassingbe, announced a constitutional reform ahead of the elections.
The constitutional reforms which were approved with 89 votes in favor, one against, and one abstention, would see Togo move from a presidential system to a parliamentary system of government, essentially ushering in the country’s fifth republic. What this means is that the Constitution would no longer grant power to the people to choose the next President of the country. Instead, power would reside with the Parliament which would choose the next President. Essentially, no more direct voting in Togo.
