Togo, a country of 8.8 million inhabitants, is facing a major change in its political landscape with the adoption of a new Constitution by deputies.
This constitutional revision marks the country’s transition from a presidential system to a parliamentary system. According to the new Constitution, the President of the Republic will now be chosen by parliamentarians meeting in Congress, without debate, for a single mandate of six years. Previously, the president was elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year term, renewable once.
In addition to this change, the new Constitution creates the position of President of the Council of Ministers, who will be responsible for managing government affairs. This president will be the leader of the majority party or coalition after the legislative elections, for a mandate of six years. This transition involves a significant transfer of powers from the head of state to the president of the Council of Ministers.
Some defenders of the parliamentary system see this transition as a way to promote political stability, but it is not without its critics. Some fear that this change will serve to keep the current president, Faure Gnassingbé, in power, while others fear an authoritarian drift in the absence of sufficiently strong counter-powers.
This constitutional revision comes less than a month before the legislative and regional elections scheduled for April 20, in which the opposition has announced its participation. The bishops of Togo called for an inclusive political dialogue after these elections, urging the head of state to postpone the promulgation of the new Constitution.
