Things are currently going out of hand in Togo as president Faure Gnassingne’s government continues to face critism.
As you may have known, throughout this year’s , Togolese citizens, particularly youth, intensified protests in Lomé against President Faure Gnassingbé’s regime.
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Their protest is driven by opposition to constitutional reforms enacted in April 2024.
These changes shifted Togo to a parliamentary system, creating a powerful President of the Council of Ministers role assumed by Gnassingbé in May 2025 with no term limits, effectively allowing indefinite rule.
Critics, including opposition groups and civil society, label this a “constitutional coup” to perpetuate the Gnassingbé family’s 58-year dynasty, started by his father, Gnassingbé Eyadéma, in 1967.
Protests, banned since 2022, escalated from June 26-28, 2025, sparked by economic hardship, a 12.5% electricity price hike (later withdrawn), and the arrest of rapper Aamron, a vocal government critic.
Demonstrators, largely under 25, faced violent crackdowns, with security forces using tear gas, batons, and alleged torture.
Amnesty International and civil society reported at least seven deaths, with bodies found in lagoons and lakes, though the government attributed these to drowning.
Dozens were arrested, with some released, but protests continued, fueled by unemployment, poverty (45% of the population), and restricted freedoms.
Social media influencers and diaspora activists, not traditional opposition parties, led the movement, reflecting distrust in co-opted political structures. ECOWAS called for restraint, but international response remains limited.