Togo will hold its first-ever senatorial elections on Saturday, marking a significant moment in the country’s political history. However, the elections are happening under the shadow of fierce opposition from parties who argue that the new constitution, which paves the way for the Senate, will enable President Faure Gnassingbé to remain in power indefinitely.
Several opposition groups have announced their intention to boycott the vote, while civil society organizations have criticized the parliamentary reform as a flawed process that is rigged in favor of the current regime.
Gnassingbé, who has been in power since 2005 after succeeding his father, has led the country of approximately nine million people for nearly two decades.
The Senate elections were originally scheduled for February 2, but the government postponed them by two weeks, citing the need for more time to allow political actors to better prepare for the vote.
Under the new constitution, the direct election of the president has been replaced by a parliamentary system, effectively making the presidential role largely ceremonial. The real power will shift to the President of the Council of Ministers, a position currently held by Gnassingbé.
While the Alliance of Democrats for Integral Development (ADDI), a major opposition group, has confirmed it will participate in the elections, other parties such as the National Alliance for Change (ANC) and the Democratic Forces for the Republic (FDR) have announced a boycott. These parties have denounced the constitutional overhaul and Senate elections as a “constitutional coup d’état.”
The ANC issued a statement Wednesday, strongly condemning what it called an “anti-democratic process” intended to establish an “illegal and illegitimate republic.” The FDR also criticized the Senate as a costly institution, particularly given the lack of financial resources for local municipalities and regions to address essential needs.
Supporters of the constitutional change argue that the Senate will help decentralize power, offering greater representation to local communities. Mazamesso Wella, a public law professor at the University of Lomé, told national television that the Senate will enhance the participation of citizens in the political process.
The Senate will consist of 61 members, with 41 elected by regional and municipal councillors and the remaining members appointed by the President of the Council of Ministers. Under the previous constitution, Gnassingbé was limited to one final presidential term, with elections set for this year.
In last year’s legislative elections, Gnassingbé’s party, the Union for the Republic (UNIR), secured a decisive victory, which opponents denounced as an “electoral hold-up” marred by “massive fraud.”
