The opposition-led event marks a rare public mobilization in recent years, with the last major gathering occurring over a year ago. The CNCC brings together four opposition political parties alongside influential civil society organizations, uniting under a shared mission to contest what they describe as an unconstitutional power grab.

mobilizing against constitutional reforms

The primary objective of the CNCC is to challenge the legitimacy of the 2024 constitutional revisions, widely condemned by critics as a tool enabling President Faure Gnassingbé to extend his rule. “The Togolese people must show they stand firm and reject this constitutional fraud,” declared David Dosseh, spokesperson for the civil society movement Front citoyen Togo debout. He emphasized that the gathering signals “a new phase of mobilization” to defend democratic principles. The reforms notably abolish direct universal suffrage for presidential elections, shifting power to a parliamentary system where the presidency of the council—currently held by Gnassingbé—becomes the highest state office.

voices of dissent

Prominent opposition figures took the stage to denounce recent crackdowns on dissent. Jean-Pierre Fabre, leader of the Alliance nationale pour le changement, highlighted the case of poet and activist Honoré Sitsopé Sokpor, known as “Affectio,” who was re-arrested on May 4 despite prior conditional release. Fabre condemned the detention as “arbitrary and relentless,” framing it as part of a broader pattern of suppression targeting critics of the government.