Democratic Developments in Togo
BBC News, March 1, 2005; New York Times, February 27, 2005

After the imposition of stiff sanctions from ECOWAS and the African Union as well as international condemnation of its circumvention of its Constitution, Togo has an interim leader who will rule for sixty days while elections are being set up. The sanctions forced Faure Gnassingbe to step down from power last week after being installed over three weeks ago by the military. He is the son of former President Eyadema, whose authoritarian rule lasted for 38 years. Replacing Gnassingbe was Abass Bonfo, the deputy speaker of Parliament.

Opposition leader Jean-Pierre Fabre of the United Forces for Change praised the action and stated that “Democracy and constitutional rule have triumphed over dictatorship.”(NY Times 2/27/05) However, there were signs of discontent over the weekend as hundreds of Togolese citizens took to the streets and threw stones and lit barricades on fire to protest the Parliament’s decision to install Bonfo in a special session. Under the original constitution, former parliamentary speaker Fambare Natchaba Ouattara was supposed to assume the role of interim President. Mr. Natchaba spoke on French radio yesterday and said that “I have no other ambition than to organize fair, democratic, transparent presidential elections open to all.”(BBC NEWS 3/1/05)

See our 'Togo in Context' page for other news and developments - as well as a more in-depth look at the problems and opportunities in Togo.