In the most recent election on February 16, 2025, Togo’s ruling party, the Union for the Republic (UNIR), led by President Faure Gnassingbé, secured a commanding victory, claiming 34 out of 41 Senate seats. This election marked the final phase of a contentious constitutional reform that has drawn significant criticism from opposition groups and civil society.
The results were announced by Dago Yabré, head of the Electoral Commission, who clarified that these were provisional results, to be submitted to the Constitutional Court for final validation. Yabré confirmed that the establishment of the Senate was the last step before the full implementation of the new Constitution, which was enacted in May 2024.
The reforms, strongly backed by President Gnassingbé’s government, abolish the direct election of the president by universal suffrage. Instead, the president will hold a purely ceremonial role, with executive powers shifting to a prime minister, who is to be selected from the majority party in the National Assembly. This change fundamentally alters Togo’s political system from a presidential to a parliamentary system of governance.
The prime minister, according to this new structure, will likely be Faure Gnassingbé himself. His party had already secured an overwhelming majority in the April 2024 legislative elections, winning 108 out of 113 seats. This puts him in line to become the prime minister once the Senate is fully operational.
Under the new system, both deputies and senators will participate in electing the president. The Senate, which will eventually consist of 61 members, will include 20 seats appointed by the prime minister.
The Senate elections were conducted by 1,527 municipal councilors and 179 regional councilors who voted to select the new senators. However, several major opposition parties, including the National Alliance for Change (ANC), the Democratic Forces for the Republic (FDR), and the Dynamic for the Majority of the People—a coalition of political parties and civil society groups—boycotted the elections, citing concerns over the legitimacy of the reforms. Despite this, some smaller parties, as well as the Alliance of Democrats for Integral Development (ADDI), participated. ADDI, however, only secured one seat in the election, a clear indication of the ruling party’s dominance.
Foreign media representatives were again denied accreditation to cover the event, continuing a trend from the previous legislative and regional elections in April 2024.
The opposition has raised alarm over the constitutional changes, arguing that they allow President Gnassingbé to extend his hold on power beyond 2025, a year in which he was originally scheduled to step down according to the old constitution. Critics fear that this shift consolidates power further into the hands of the ruling party, undermining democratic processes in Togo.
In contrast, the government has argued that the reforms will increase political representation and stability, claiming that the new system will better reflect the will of the people.
As the country moves towards this new parliamentary system, Togo’s political landscape remains deeply divided, with protests and calls for reform from opposition factions continuing to grow louder. The coming months will be crucial in determining the long-term impact of these changes on Togo’s governance and democracy.
