Togo Protests: Hundreds March Against Constitutional Reform

Opposition Demands Repeal of 2024 Constitution

Several hundred protesters gathered in the Togolese city of Vogan on Sunday to condemn a new constitutional reform, which they claim will allow President Faure Gnassingbé to extend his rule indefinitely.

The rally, organized by the CNCC coalition, was held about 60 kilometers from Lomé and marked the second meeting of this opposition alliance in three months. The protest comes at a time when demonstrations by the opposition have become less frequent.

Protesters carried banners with slogans such as ‘No to unconstitutional government change’ or ‘Constitutional coup,’ denouncing what they see as an illegitimate reform.

‘The 2024 constitution is totally illegal. It’s a constitutional coup that Togolese will never accept,’ said David Dosseh, the spokesperson for the Front citoyen Togo debout (FCTD), one of the organizations behind the mobilization.

The new Basic Law, which came into effect in 2024, has significantly altered Togo’s institutions. It abolished direct presidential elections and established a parliamentary system, with President Gnassingbé holding the most powerful executive position since 2005.

Opposition groups and civil society organizations believe that this reform aims to prolong Gnassingbé’s rule indefinitely. In contrast, the government defends a text that it claims strengthens the institutions’ representativeness.

Tensions surrounding this reform have already led to protests in 2025, which resulted in seven deaths according to the civil society, while the prosecutor’s office cited five deaths due to drowning.

A recent court ruling on January 29 found the reform to be a ‘government change constitutional’ that was deemed unconstitutional by some. The government rejected this decision, stating that the Court overstepped its authority, limiting itself to monitoring human rights and community law without having the power to rule on internal laws.