Highlights: Togo: political tension rises after the adoption of the new Constitution. A press conference organized by opposition parties and civil society groups was interrupted by the gendarmes on Wednesday morning. The text voted on in the Assembly is still not available, many speculations revolve around this constitution. The Togolese opposition sees this as a subterfuge for Faure Gnassingbé who could occupy power indefinitely. For the record, this reform, the date of entry into force of which we do not yet know, would see the next Togoese head of state be elected by Parliament.

A press conference organized by opposition parties and civil society groups was interrupted by the gendarmes on Wednesday morning, less than 48 hours after the adoption of a new…

Togo: political tension rises after the adoption of the new Constitution

A press conference organized by opposition parties and civil society groups was interrupted by the police on Wednesday morning, less than 48 hours after the adoption of a new Constitution.

A street in Lomé (illustrative image). Godong/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

By: RFI Follow

It is difficult for opponents of this reform to make their voices heard. A first press conference organized by around thirty opposition parties and civil society organizations was interrupted Wednesday morning by the Togolese gendarmes, while they were organizing to denounce the Constitution voted on Monday night in Tuesday.

Nathaniel Olympio, the leader of the Party of Togolese, was chairing the press conference when the police interrupted him. “

We saw a gendarmerie unit, there were around thirty of them, entering the headquarters in the presence of all the journalists and they ordered us to leave the room, on the grounds that we would not have the authorization to hold a press conference.

» According to him, “

the Lomé regime has crossed a red line by depriving the Togolese of being able to choose their President of the Republic

”.

Read alsoTogo: the new Constitution will move the country to a parliamentary regime

In the afternoon, when the protesters wanted to meet in a room, the owner of the premises was ordered not to accept the press conference on his premises. They were finally able to meet at the headquarters of the National Alliance for Change to ask the Head of State to postpone the promulgation of this new Constitution.

“

Whether the head of state promulgates or does not promulgate, we are in a battle,”

insists

Me Paul Dodzi Apévon, president of the Democratic Forces for the Republic

. They did such filthy things to us in this country that, ultimately, they believed they had no limits. This is why we are all challenged. »

In the meantime, the text voted on in the Assembly is still not available, many speculations revolve around this constitution. The anti-reforms are unanimous: the opportunity and the procedure are unacceptable.

For the record, this reform, the date of entry into force of which we do not yet know, would see the next Togolese head of state be elected by Parliament for a single mandate of six years. But the real power will be exercised by the president of the Council of Ministers. A function which will fall to the leader of the party that emerged victorious in the legislative elections. The Togolese opposition sees this as a subterfuge for Faure Gnassingbé who could occupy power indefinitely.

Togo: political tension rises after the adoption of the new Constitution

Togo: political tension rises after the adoption of the new Constitution

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