LOMÉ,
Togo
Voting got under way in legislative elections in Togo on Monday following approval of constitutional reforms by the outgoing parliament that could extend the 19-year-old rule of President Faure Gnassingbe.
Under a new chapter adopted in
March introducing a parliamentary system of government, the president will be
elected by parliament instead of by universal suffrage.
Details about the assembly's
election of the head of state remain unclear, although under the new
constitution the parliament will appoint a position described as president of
the council of ministers, who will have extensive authority to manage Togo’s government
affairs.
In power for nearly 20 years,
Togo’s incumbent president succeeded his father Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled
for almost four decades following a military coup.
Monday's vote had been pushed back twice because of a fierce backlash from some opposition parties who called the constitutional changes a political maneuver to allow Gnassingbe to extend his tenure for life.
Over four million people are
registered to vote for 113 lawmakers among 2,352 candidates. Polls opened at
0700 GMT and provisional results are expected from Tuesday.
Regional elections are also
taking place.
Observers say early turnout at
polling stations in the capital, Lome, was scattered but the streets were calm.
Koffi Ohini, a 24-year-old
farm technician who casted his ballot in Lome said he is a first-time voter.
"This is the first time I
am voting, because I lived in a neighboring country before,” he said, adding,
“I came out early to avoid crowds."
"I want to vote because
these elections are important," Ohini said.
Monday's vote will elect 113
lawmakers and for the first time 179 regional deputies from the country's five
districts who along with municipal councilors will elect a newly created
Senate.
Opposition parties are
contesting in the polls with hopes of gaining seats that will enable them to
challenge Gnassingbe's UNIR party after they boycotted the last legislative
poll and left it effectively in control of parliament.
Violent police crackdowns on
political demonstrations have been routine under Gnassingbe - reelected in a
2020 landslide disputed by the opposition - as they were during his father's
rule.
The 57-year-old leader has
already won four elections, all contested by the opposition as flawed. He would
have only been able to run one more time as president in 2025 under the
previous constitution.
Several other African
countries have pushed through constitutional and other legal changes in recent
years allowing their presidents to extend their terms in office.
Monday's vote, initially set
for April 20, was postponed twice to allow for consultations on the new
constitution.
Amendments unanimously
approved in a second parliamentary vote earlier this month shortened
presidential terms to four years from five with a two-term limit.
This does not account for the
time already spent in office, which could enable Gnassingbe to stay in power
until 2033 if he is re-elected when his mandate expires in 2025. He has not yet
stated his intentions.
Some opposition parties and
civil society groups renewed calls for protests after the second vote, sparking
small-scale demonstrations last week.
The outcome of Togo’s
elections is expected to be known within the next six days.
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