The political turmoil in Togo has escalated into a regional diplomatic confrontation. A coalition of 43 civil society organizations (CSOs) from Africa and the diaspora has issued a joint open letter urging the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU), and the United Nations to impose sanctions on the Togolese government. The catalyst for this unprecedented move is the landmark ruling by the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, which declared the March 2024 constitutional reform a unconstitutional change of government.
This unified front of civil society actors is amplifying pressure on Lomé’s authorities, demanding decisive action from continental and global institutions. The petitioners argue that the constitutional amendment—shifting power from a presidential to a parliamentary system by installing a Council President as head of the executive branch—constitutes an institutional maneuver to bypass presidential term limits.
The organizations highlight critical irregularities in the reform process: it was approved by legislators whose terms had already expired and was never subjected to a public referendum as required by democratic standards. These procedural flaws, they assert, render the reform illegitimate and in violation of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance (ACDEG).
Five decisive measures demanded by civil society
To prevent similar constitutional circumventions across West Africa, the coalition has outlined five specific sanctions targeting Lomé’s leadership:
- Immediate suspension of Togo from all ECOWAS decision-making bodies;
- Revocation of voting rights within the African Union for the Togolese government;
- Legal prosecution of those responsible for orchestrating the institutional change;
- Review of diplomatic appointments held by key figures in the Togolese administration;
- Appointment of a UN Special Rapporteur to monitor human rights and governance in Togo.
Lomé’s unyielding stance: sovereignty over regional jurisdiction
In response to the court’s ruling and mounting international criticism, the Togolese government has doubled down on its position. An official statement dismissed the ECOWAS court’s authority to scrutinize the country’s internal constitutional reforms or challenge its sovereign right to establish a new republic.
According to Lomé, the transition to the Fifth Republic is an exclusively national affair aimed at modernizing the country’s governance structure. The authorities maintain that the reform was crafted in the spirit of progress and does not infringe upon democratic principles or regional agreements.