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{{Politics of Togo}}
'''Politics of Togo''' takes place in a framework of a [[parliamentary system|parliamentary]] [[republic]], whereby the [[List of presidents of Togo|president]] is the [[head of state]] and the [[List of prime ministers of Togo|prime minister]] is [[head of government]],  who is appointed by the president with the parliament's approval. [[Executive power]] is exercised by the prime minister while the role of the president is largely ceremonial. [[Legislative power]] is vested in both the [[government]] and parliament. After independence, the party system was dominated first by the authoritarian [[Rally for the Togolese People]], and later by its successor party, [[Union for the Republic (Togo)|Union for the Republic]].

==Eyadéma presidency==
{{unreferenced section|date=May 2024}}
In the early 1990s, the international community began putting pressure on authoritarian president [[Gnassingbé Eyadéma]] to democratize, a notion he strongly resisted. Pro-democracy activists - mainly southern Mina and Ewé - were met with armed troops, killing scores of protesters in several clashes. The people of [[France]] and Togo were furious, and under their backlash Eyadéma gave in. He was summarily stripped of all powers and made president in name only. An interim prime minister was elected to take over command, but not four months later his residence was shelled with heavy artillery by Eyadéma's army.

[[State terrorism|Terror]] strikes against the independent press and political assassination attempts became commonplace, while the promised 'transition' to democracy came to a standstill. The opposition continued to call general strikes, leading to further violence by the army and the exodus of hundreds of thousands of southerners to Ghana and Benin. Using intimidation tactics and clever political machinations that disqualified one opposition party and caused another to refuse to participate, Eyadéma won the 1993 presidential elections with more than 96% of the vote. In the years following, opposition parties have lost most of their steam and Eyadéma's control has become almost as firm as before the crisis began.

In August 1996, Prime Minister [[Edem Kodjo]] resigned, and the planning minister, [[Kwassi Klutse]], was appointed prime minister. Eyadéma won another five-year term in June 1998 with 52% of the vote, nearly being defeated by [[Gilchrist Olympio]], son of Sylvanus Olympio. Later investigations revealed widespread human rights abuses.

In 2002, in what critics called a 'constitutional coup', the national assembly voted unanimously to change the constitution and allow Eyadéma to 'sacrifice himself again' and run for a third term during the 2003 presidential elections. The constitutional change eliminated presidential term limits. Meanwhile, Gilchrist Olympio's attempts to beat the man who overthrew his father were scuppered yet again when he was banned from running on a tax-law technicality.

Despite allegations of electoral fraud, Eyadéma won 57% of the votes in the 2003 elections, which international observers from the [[African Union]] described as generally free and transparent. For many Togolese, there was little optimism for the future and a prevailing sense of déjà vu as Eyadéma extended his record as Africa's longest-serving ruler.

==Gnassingbé presidency==
On 5 February 2005, Eyadéma died of a heart attack. Shortly afterwards, his son [[Faure Gnassingbé]] was named by Togo's military as the country's leader, raising numerous eyebrows. Army Chief of Staff General Zakari Nandja announced the succession, saying the speaker of parliament (who should have taken over under the constitution) was out of the country. African Union leaders described the naming of Faure Gnassingbé as a military coup.<ref>{{Cite news|url = https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4240485.stm|title = AU denounces Togo 'military coup' | work=BBC News | date=6 February 2005}}</ref> The constitution of Togo declared that in the case of the president's death, the speaker of Parliament takes his place, and has 60 days to call new elections. However, on February 6, Parliament retroactively changed the Constitution, declaring that Faure would hold office for the rest of his father's term, with elections deferred until 2008.

The African Union described the takeover as a military [[coup d'état]].<ref>{{Cite news|url = https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4241001.stm|title = Togo succession 'coup' denounced | work=BBC News | date=6 February 2005}}</ref> International pressure came also from the [[United Nations]]. Within Togo, opposition to the takeover culminated in riots in which four people died. In response, Gnassingbé agreed to hold [[Togo presidential election, 2005|elections]] in April 2005. On 25 February, Gnassingbé resigned as president, soon after accepting nomination to run for the office in April. Parliament designated Deputy Speaker [[Bonfoh Abbass]] as interim president until the inauguration of the election winner.<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/n/a/2005/02/25/international/i180735S60.DTL|title = Togo Leader to Step Down, Seek Presidency|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070211072523/http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=%2Fn%2Fa%2F2005%2F02%2F25%2Finternational%2Fi180735S60.DTL|archive-date = 11 February 2007|url-status = dead|work = The San Francisco Chronicle}}</ref> On 3 May 2005, Gnassingbé was sworn in as the new president garnering 60% of the vote according to official results. Disquiet has continued however with the opposition declaring the voting rigged, claiming the military stole ballot boxes from various polling stations in the South, as well as other election irregularities, such as telecommunication shutdown.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.scidev.net/gateways/index.cfm?fuseaction=readitem&rgwid=4&item=Opinions&itemid=401&language=1|title = Technological shutdowns as tools of oppression|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121029123632/http://www.scidev.net/en/sub-suharan-africa/opinions/technological-shutdowns-as-tools-of-oppression.html|archive-date = 29 October 2012}}</ref> The European Union has suspended aid in support of the opposition claims, while the African Union and the United States have declared the vote "reasonably fair" and accepted the outcome. The [[Nigerian]] president and Chair of the AU, [[Olusẹgun Ọbasanjọ]], sought to negotiate between the incumbent government and the opposition to establish a coalition government, but surprisingly rejected an AU Commission appointment of former [[Zambia]]n president, [[Kenneth Kaunda]], as special AU envoy to Togo.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://allafrica.com/stories/200506060694.html|title = Togo: African Union in Row Over Appointment of Special Envoy}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url = http://allafrica.com/stories/200507040093.html|title = Africa: ECOWAS Explains Withdrawal of KK's Appointment As Togo Envoy}}</ref> Later in June, President Gnassingbe named opposition leader [[Edem Kodjo]] as the prime Minister.

From April 2006 onwards, reconciliation talks between the government and the opposition were held, which were  suspended after Eyadema's death in 2005. In August the government and the opposition signed an accord providing for the participation of opposition parties in a transitional government.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5270926.stm|title=Accord seeks to end Togo strife|date=2006-08-21|access-date=2017-12-01|language=en-GB}}</ref>

In 2017, protests erupted against Faure Gnassingbé's continued rule. As the only African country without official presidential term limits, the opposition demands two-term limits for presidents to be applied retroactively in order to prevent Gnassingbe from standing in the 2020 and 2025 elections.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.africanews.com/2017/12/01/togo-political-crisis-must-concern-west-africa-buhari-ouattara/|title=Togo political crisis must concern West Africa - Buhari, Ouattara {{!}} Africanews|last=AfricaNews|work=Africanews|access-date=2017-12-01|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/togo-opposition-parties-pressure-president-to-resign/4142511.html|title=Togo Opposition Parties Vow to Keep Up Pressure on President|agency=Agence France-Presse|work=VOA|access-date=2017-12-01|language=en}}</ref> Clashes between protesters and police have led to the death of 16 people since the start of the protests in September.<ref name=":0" /> International rights groups have called on the government to "end the bloody repression" and engage in dialogue with the opposition.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.news24.com/Africa/News/togo-faces-calls-to-end-political-crisis-20171117|title=Togo faces calls to end political crisis|work=News24|access-date=2017-12-01}}</ref> Gnassingbé promised talks with the opposition, but has yet to act on that promise. However, [[Ghana]]'s President [[Nana Akufo-Addo]] and [[Alpha Condé|Alpha Conde]] of [[Guinea]] are involved as mediators to facilitate the organization of a political dialogue to be held "in a few weeks".<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.africanews.com/2017/11/30/togo-opposition-vows-to-continue-protests-even-during-talks/|title=Togo opposition vows to continue protests even during talks {{!}} Africanews|last=|work=Africanews|access-date=2017-12-01|language=en|date=2017-11-30}}</ref>

In February 2020, Faure Gnassingbé was re-elected to a fourth presidential term. The opposition had a lot of accusations of fraud and irregularities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/togo-president-gnassingb%C3%A9-wins-re-election/a-52494760|title = Togo President Gnassingbé wins re-election|date=2020-02-24|website = [[Deutsche Welle]]}}</ref> {{As of|2020}}, the Gnassingbé family had ruled Togo since 1967, making it Africa's longest lasting dynasty.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ips-journal.eu/regions/africa/togos-dynasty-lives-on-4111/|title = Togo's dynasty lives on|first=Hans-Joachim |last=Preuss |website=International Politics and Society|publisher=[[Friedrich Ebert Foundation]]|date=2020-02-28}}</ref>

==Executive branch==
{{office-table}}
|[[List of presidents of Togo|President]]
|[[Faure Gnassingbé]]
|[[Union for the Republic (Togo)|Union for the Republic]]
|4 May 2005
|-
|[[List of prime ministers of Togo|Prime Minister]]
|[[Victoire Tomegah Dogbé]]
|[[Union for the Republic (Togo)|Union for the Republic]]
|28 September 2020
|}
The president is indirectly elected by parliament for a four-year term, renewable once. The prime minister is appointed by the president and they can serve a term of six years, renewable indefinitely. The [[Togo Council of Ministers|Council of Ministers]] is appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister.

==Legislative branch==
The [[National Assembly of Togo|National Assembly]] (''Assemblée Nationale'') has 91 members, elected for a five-year term in single-seat [[constituency|constituencies]]. 
Togo is a [[one party dominant state]] with the [[Union for the Republic (Togo)|Union for the Republic]] in power. [[Opposition (politics)|Opposition]] [[political parties|parties]] are allowed, but are widely considered to have no real chance of gaining power.

===Political parties and elections===
{{elect|List of political parties in Togo|Elections in Togo}}

==Judicial branch==
The Togolese judiciary is modeled on the [[Judiciary of France|French system]]. There is a Court of Appeal ({{langx|fr|Cour d’Appel}}) and a Supreme Court ({{langx|fr|Cour Suprême}}).

==Administrative divisions==
Togo is divided in [[Regions of Togo|five regions]]: [[Kara Region|Kara]], [[Plateaux Region, Togo|Plateaux]], [[Savanes Region, Togo|Savanes]], [[Centrale Region, Togo|Centrale]], [[Maritime (Togolese region)|Maritime]]. For administrative purposes, the regions are subdivided into [[Prefectures of Togo|35 prefectures]], each having an appointed prefect.

==International organization participation==
[[Agence de Coopération Culturelle et Technique|ACCT]], [[ACP (Lomé Convention)|ACP]], [[African Development Bank|AfDB]], [[Commonwealth of Nations]][[United Nations Economic Commission for Africa|ECA]], [[Economic Community of West African States|ECOWAS)]], [[Conseil de l'Entente|Entente]], [[FAO]], [[Franc zone|FZ]], [[Group of 77|G-77]], [[International Bank for Reconstruction and Development|IBRD]], [[International Civil Aviation Organization|ICAO]], [[International Chamber of Commerce|ICC]], [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|ICRM]], [[International Development Association|IDA]], [[International Fund for Agricultural Development|IFAD]], [[International Finance Corporation|IFC]], [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|IFRCS]], [[International Labour Organization|ILO]], [[International Monetary Fund|IMF]], [[International Maritime Organization|IMO]], [[Intelsat]], [[Interpol (organization)|Interpol]], [[IOC]], [[International Telecommunication Union|ITU]], [[International Trade Union Confederation|ITUC]], [[United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara|MINURSO]], [[MIPONUH]], [[Non-Aligned Movement|NAM]], [[Organisation of African Unity|OAU]], [[Organisation of Islamic Cooperation|OIC]], [[OPCW]], [[United Nations|UN]], [[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development|UNCTAD]], [[UNESCO]], [[United Nations Industrial Development Organization|UNIDO]], [[Universal Postal Union|UPU]], [[West African Development Bank|WADB]], [[WAEMU]], [[World Customs Organization|WCO]], [[World Federation of Trade Unions|EFTU]], [[World Health Organization|WHO]], [[World Intellectual Property Organization|WIPO]], [[World Meteorological Organization|WMO]], [[World Tourism Organization|WToO]], [[World Trade Organization|WTrO]].

== Notes and references ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

{{Africa in topic|Politics of}}
{{Togo topics}}
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[[Category:Politics of Togo| ]]