Lawmakers in Togo have adopted a new constitution that will see the country shift from a presidential to a parliamentary system of governance.
Togolese will no longer elect their president.
The country’s opposition, which boycotted the last legislative elections in 2018 and recently denounced “irregularities” in the electoral census, is poorly represented in the national assembly.
One of the main changes brought by the new constitution is that lawmakers will elect the president of the republic for a single 6-year term.
The position of “president of the council of ministers” was also introduced. Its holder will have “full authority and power to manage the affairs of the government”.
The president of the council of ministers will either be “the leader of the party which secures the majority during the legislative elections.” Or the leader of the winning coalition of parties.
The president of the Council of Ministers will rule for a six-year term.
MPs will be elected by universal, direct universal suffrage, secret for a renewable term of six years.
The new Constitution was partly passed by lawmakers whose mandate was set to expire late last year.
It is unclear when the changes will come into force. The next parliamentary election will be held on April 20th, concurrently with regional elections.
Some 4.2 million Togolese are registered to vote. Togo’s recent history has been dominated by the Gnassingbe clan which has ruled since 1967.
