Protesters Take to the Streets in Togo
Thousands of protesters took to the streets in southern Togo on Sunday, demanding an end to a new constitutional reform that they claim is aimed at prolonging President Faure Gnassingbe’s rule.
The protest, organized by the National Concertation Council for Change in Togo (CNCC), brought together opposition parties and civil society groups, adding to growing tensions over the reform adopted in 2024.
At least several hundred protesters gathered at Vogan, about 60 kilometers from the capital Lome, waving banners with slogans such as ‘No to unconstitutional government change’ or ‘Constitutional coup’, denouncing what they see as a power grab by Gnassingbe’s regime.
‘The Constitution adopted in 2024 is completely illegitimate. It’s a constitutional coup that the Togolese will never accept,’ said David Dosseh, spokesman for the Front for the Citizen Togo Debout (FCTD), one of the organizations behind the protest.
The new Fundamental Law, which came into effect in 2024, has dramatically altered Togo’s institutions. It abolished direct presidential elections and introduced a parliamentary system, with Gnassingbe holding the top executive position since 2005.
Opposition groups and civil society activists believe the reform is aimed at extending Gnassingbe’s rule indefinitely, while the government claims it strengthens institutional representation.
Tensions over this reform have already led to protests in January 2025, resulting in seven deaths according to civil society sources, with the prosecutor’s office citing five deaths due to drowning.
A court decision on January 29 ruled that the reform was a ‘change in unconstitutional government’, but the government rejected the ruling, claiming the court overstepped its jurisdiction.
