Togo’s government on Wednesday announced the indefinite suspension of parliamentary and regional elections that were set to take place on April 20.
The postponement follows recent tensions from opposition figures and activists after the country’s Parliament last week adopted a new constitution, which will have the president selected from Parliament, as part of a shift from a Presidential to a Parliamentary System.
The new constitutional reforms have been criticised by the opposition who say it only seeks to consolidate President Faure Gnassingbe’s continued grip on power.
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In a statement announcing the postponement on Wednesday, the presidency said “consultations” were needed over the changes that triggered opposition claims the reforms passed in March aimed to keep Gnassingbe in power.
“The National Assembly wished to have some days to engage in broad consultations with all stakeholders. Consequently, the government will conduct a slight rearrangement of the calendar of legislative and regional elections initially scheduled for April 20,” the government statement said, indicating that the law had been sent back to the legislative body for a second reading.
