Togo’s Ruling Party Sweeps Upper House Election Following Opposition Boycott
The Republic Alliance, the ruling President of Togo, has won 34 of 41 seats in the country’s newly formed Senate based on interim results. The election was held on Saturday, allowing municipal and district councillors to vote for 41 members of the 61-seat room. Gnassingbé will appoint the remaining 20 seats as a recently revised constitution grants him the power to elect one-third of the rooms. The constitutional amendment to establish the Senate also transfers the actual power of actual management to the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, with a term of six years and can be renewed indefinitely, which makes the President of the Republic ritual to a large extent. Critics believe that the change will allow Gnassingbé to expand his power, especially since he can only fight for his last term under the old constitution. Meanwhile, some opposition parties boycotted the election, believing that the Senate was unnecessary and only consolidated the power of Gnassingbé.
source: Bloomberg
