Togo Protests: Opponents Decry Constitutional Reform

Thousands Gather in Togo to Protest Against Constitutional Reform

Several hundred protesters gathered in the town of Vogan, in southern Togo, on Sunday to demonstrate their opposition to a new constitutional reform that they claim will allow President Faure Gnassingbé to maintain his power indefinitely.

The protest, organized by the Cadre national de concertation pour le changement au Togo (CNCC), which brings together several opposition parties and civil society organizations, took place about 60 kilometers from the capital city of Lomé. It is the second major rally in three months, following a first demonstration held in May.

Protesters carried banners with slogans such as ‘No to unconstitutional government change’ or ‘Constitutional coup d’état’, denouncing what they consider an illegitimate reform.

‘The 2024 constitution is totally illegal. It’s a constitutional coup that Togolese will never accept,’ said David Dosseh, the spokesperson for the Front citoyen Togo debout (FCTD), one of the organizations behind the rally.

The new Basic Law, which came into effect in 2024, has fundamentally altered Togo’s institutions. It abolished direct presidential elections and established a parliamentary system. The President of the Council, currently held by Gnassingbé since 2005, is the highest executive position in the country.

Opposition forces and civil society actors believe that this reform aims to extend Gnassingbé’s rule indefinitely. In contrast, the government defends a text that it claims strengthens institutional representation.

Tensions surrounding this reform have already led to protests in 2025, resulting in seven deaths according to civil society sources, while the prosecution cites five deaths due to drowning.

A court ruling on January 29 found that this reform constitutes ‘a change of unconstitutional government.’ The Togolese government rejected this decision, arguing that the Court overstepped its authority, which is limited to monitoring human rights and community law without being able to rule on internal laws.