Democracy News

Faure Wins Togo Election
March 8, 2010
By: Paul Larson | Printer Friendly

The New York Times reports that incumbent President Faure Gnassingbé defeated opposition leader Jean-Pierre Fabre in Togo’s election on March 4.  Mr. Faure is the son of former dictator Gnassingbe Eyadema and head of the Rally of the Togolese People party (RPT).  The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) announced the results of the election late on March 6.   RPT took 60.9% of the vote, defeating Mr. Fabre of the Union of Forces for Change (UFC) who won just 33.9%.

Mr. Fabre charged that the election was rigged via vote tampering and ballot stuffing.  The New York Times continues reporting allegations that opposition “voters were intimidated and told that the inked fingerprint they were required to leave on their ballots would be used to trace them.”  Mr. Fabre has led protests against the election results for the past two days despite being repeatedly broken up with tear gas and riot police.  Newstime Africa reports that 200 to 300 people attended the protests.   An opposition member of CENI resigned to protest the results, according to Voice of America.

Aljazeera reports that “40 international observers were deployed by the African Union, 130 by the European Union and 150 civilians and 146 soldiers by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to oversee the elections.”  ECOWAS said they are “reasonably pleased” with the process, according to Voice of America.  One concern from ECOWAS is that the satellite system used during the election broke down, which may have changed the vote totals.  European Union election monitors were present in at least four regions of Togo and did not find any evidence of vote tampering or ballot stuffing.  They did observe potential voter buy-off through the sale of rice at below market value on election day.

BBC News reports that 6,000 security personnel were deployed across the country during the elections.  These forces attempted to ensure that the violence following the 2005 election did not occur again.  President Faure was originally elected in 2005 after the death of his father.  Gnassingbe Eyadema led for 38 years after a coup brought him to power.  Mr. Faure initially did not hold elections in 2005, but bowed to international pressure to hold a poll.  Violence following the 2005 election resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people. 

Sources:

Aljazeera - Gnassingbe 'wins' Togo election

AllAfrica - Secretary-General Calls for Calm in Post-Election Era

BBC News - Q&A: Togo presidential election

New York Times - Togo’s Opposition Leader Protests Election He Says Was Rigged Newtime Africa - Post-Election Violence Threatens Togo’s Stability

Telegraph - Togo president 'wins re-election'

Voice of America - Official Says ECOWAS is Pleased With Togo’s Election

Voice of America - Opposition Rejects Results of Togo Election