Displaying items by tag: indefinite rule

Faure Gnassingbé, Togo’s president, faces rising unrest after constitutional changes that could extend his rule indefinitely. Recent protests in the capital, Lomé, were met with arrests and alleged mistreatment of demonstrators. Gnassingbé, in power since 2005, was recently sworn in as president of the Council of Ministers - an influential role without term limits. Critics call this a ‘constitutional coup’. About forty of the arrested protesters have been released, but at least 25 remain detained. Government officials have defended the arrests as necessary to uphold state institutions. However, a coalition of political groups has demanded not only the release of all prisoners but also an end to Gnassingbé’s regime, which they describe as repressive after two decades in power. Protests are rare in Togo, where demonstrations were banned in 2022 after a deadly attack.