Thousands March in Togo Amidst Ongoing Opposition Protests
Around 500 people have gathered in the southwestern city of Vogan to voice their opposition to a constitutional reform adopted in 2024, which they claim will allow President Faure Gnassingbé to extend his rule indefinitely.
- Opposition groups and civil society organizations are calling for the reform to be scrapped, citing concerns that it undermines democratic institutions.
- The protest was organized by the National Coordination for Concertation for Change in Togo (CNCC), a coalition of opposition parties and civil society groups.
According to David Dosseh, a spokesperson for the Front Citoyen Togo Debout (FCTD), one of the organizations behind the protest, ‘the 2024 constitutional reform is utterly illegitimate. It’s a coup d’état that Togolese will never accept.’
The new constitution, which came into effect in 2024, has significantly altered the country’s institutions. It abolished direct presidential elections and established a parliamentary system, with Gnassingbé holding the position of president of the Council.
Opposition groups claim that the reform aims to prolong Gnassingbé’s rule indefinitely, while the government says it strengthens democratic institutions.
Protests over the constitutional reform have occurred in 2025, resulting in seven deaths according to civil society sources, while the prosecution claims five fatalities due to drowning.