More than three months after President Faure Gnassingbé was sworn in for a fourth term, Togo remains in a state of political uncertainty with no new government appointed, a delay critics attribute to a contentious constitutional reform that has dramatically reshaped the nation’s political landscape.
The power vacuum stems from a major constitutional overhaul passed by lawmakers last year, which abolished direct presidential elections and transitioned Togo from a presidential to a parliamentary system. Under the new system, the president becomes a largely ceremonial figure elected by parliament, while real executive power is vested in a new role, the President of the Council of Ministers, who will be the leader of the majority party in parliament.
President Gnassingbé, who has been in power since succeeding his father in 2005, began his latest term following elections held under the old system. The opposition has condemned the constitutional changes as an “institutional coup d’état,” arguing they are a thinly veiled strategy to allow the Gnassingbé family, which has ruled Togo for 58 years, to maintain its grip on power indefinitely.
“The delay reflects deeper tensions,” said one critic, pointing to the fundamental shift in governance. “This overhaul was a power grab designed to let Gnassingbé, in office since 2005, stay in power indefinitely.”
For now, the outgoing government continues in a caretaker capacity, managing the country’s day-to-day affairs. Pressure is building on President Gnassingbé, who currently serves as the head of the Council of Ministers, to appoint a new prime minister and cabinet. The prolonged absence of a new administration has left citizens in a state of apprehension.
“With no appointments and rising frustration, citizens are left wondering what comes next,” the report noted, highlighting the growing public unease.
However, not all voices are sounding the alarm. Outgoing Labour Minister Gilbert Bawara pointed to historical precedents in other nations to suggest the situation is not unprecedented.
“The situation is not extraordinary,” Bawara stated, “pointing to Belgium which once went over a year with only a caretaker government.”
Despite such reassurances, the political stalemate underscores a nation at a crossroads. The world watches to see if one of Africa’s longest-running political dynasties will successfully consolidate its power through a new system or if public and political pressure will force a resolution to the ongoing crisis.
