LOME, Togo (AP) — Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe has signed a controversial new constitution that eliminates presidential elections, a statement from his office said late Monday. It’s a move that opponents say will allow him to extend his family’s six-decade-long rule.
Under the new legislation, parliament will have the power to choose the president, doing away with direct elections. The election commission on Saturday announced that Gnassingbe’s ruling party had won a majority of seats in the West African nation’s parliament.
Ahead of the vote, there was a crackdown on civic and media freedoms. The government banned protests against the proposed new constitution and arrested opposition figures. The electoral commission banned the Catholic Church from deploying election observers. In mid-April, a French journalist who arrived to cover the elections was arrested, assaulted and expelled. Togo’s media regulator later suspended the accreditation process for foreign journalists.
Related articles:
Related suggestion:
BBC announce Tom Hiddleston is set to return to The Night Manager for two more seriesRachael Blackmore to place in BOTH rides on Day 2 of Aintree boosted to 11/4Beijing court jails ChineseTravis Kelce hilariously ripped for his old tweets at New Heights liveVideo shows Victim Support worker 'bragging' about smacking his childrenAustralian teen jailed for school shooting5 arrested at dawn over freak accident at Hong Kong boy band Mirror concertForget the World Cup, Euros or Super BowlPublic servants on edge over nerveVideo: How Hong Kong film directors are navigating a new era of censorship
3.5633s , 6605.4140625 kb
Copyright © 2024 Powered by Togo's presidents signs a law expected to extend his decades ,World Winds news portal