Faure Gnassingbe, the long-serving leader of Togo, has been sworn in as the country’s new “President of the Council of Ministers” a powerful executive position created through sweeping constitutional reforms that critics argue could allow him to remain in power indefinitely.
This latest development follows the adoption of a new constitution that ends presidential elections and transitions Togo to a parliamentary system. Under the new arrangement, the role of president becomes largely ceremonial, while the real executive authority lies with the president of the council now held by Gnassingbe.
The move has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition and civil society, who accuse the ruling elite of orchestrating an “institutional coup d’état” to entrench power. “This is not reform; it’s a power grab,” one opposition leader said, expressing fears that the political changes eliminate any remaining checks on Gnassingbé’s authority.
Gnassingbé has been at the helm since 2005, when he succeeded his father, Gnassingbé Eyadéma, who ruled Togo for 38 years. Together, the Gnassingbé family has governed the small West African nation for nearly six decades.
The new system, critics argue, is carefully designed to consolidate this legacy. While municipal elections scheduled for July will be the first under the revised constitution, few expect any real political shake-up. Gnassingbé’s party, the Union for the Republic (UNIR), currently dominates the National Assembly, having secured 108 out of 113 seats in last year’s elections.
Although the government temporarily paused implementing the reforms in the face of public outrage, it has since moved ahead with installing Gnassingbe in the newly created role. Analysts suggest that the shift from a presidential to parliamentary system, rather than reducing Gnassingbe’s grip on power, may instead make it more secure since the position of council president has no term limits.
With this transformation, Togo joins a growing list of African states where constitutional amendments have been used to extend incumbents’ rule, raising concerns about democratic backsliding across the region.
As the country prepares for local elections, many observers question whether meaningful political competition can exist under a system so heavily weighted in favor of one ruling family.
