Togo: The President returns the New Constitution to Parliament

Changes in Togo: President Faure Gnassingbé ordered on Friday that the new Constitution, adopted to establish the rule of the Parliament and no longer of the Presidency, be sent to a new vote of the Parliamentarians, in an environment of increasing political tension.

On Monday evening, the Parliament, dominated by the Union of the Republic (UNIR), which is in power, approved the new draft, a reform of the Constitution which is strongly opposed by the opposition which sees it as the President’s tactics to stay in power.

“Everything being perfect and taking into account the interest aroused among the citizens and this draft since its adoption, the President of the Republic today asked the Speaker of the Parliament to read for the second time the adopted law”, announced Yawa Kouigan, the minister of communications and government spokesperson on national government television Friday evening.

Since the adoption of the new Constitution, the opposition has been pulling together against the administration fearing that this change will leave President Faure Gnassingbé open to remain the head of the country, when the parliamentary and governor elections will be held within a period of three weeks, April 20.