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Togo: the Gnassingbé dynasty and the 2020 presidential election
 
PIIS032150750010103-5-1
DOI10.31857/S032150750010103-5
Publication type Article
Status Published
Authors
Tatyana Denisova 
Occupation: Leading Research Fellow, Centre for Tropical Africa Studies, Institute for African Studies, RAS
Affiliation: Institute for African Studies, RAS
Address: Moscow, Russian Federation
Sergey Kostelyanets
Occupation: Leading Research Fellow, Institute for African Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences; Associate Professor, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University)
Affiliation:
Institute for African Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences
Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University)
Address: Russian Federation, Moscow
Journal nameAsia and Africa Today
EditionIssue 7
Pages41-47
Abstract

In February 2020, Togo held a presidential election, which was won by the incumbent President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé - the son and political successor of Gnassingbé Eyadema (before 8 May 1974 - Étienne Eyadema), who had ruled the country for 38 years (1967-2005). In 2019, F. Gnassingbé forced through constitutional changes that capped presidents to serving two terms but did not apply retroactively and also reset the current leader’s term limits, which provoked mass opposition protests. As a result of the constitutional amendment, F.Gnassingbé became eligible to run for president in 2020 and 2025 and could potentially manage the country until 2030.

One of the preconditions for F. Gnassingbé’s landslide electoral victory in February 2020 was the absence of an alternative candidate  who  could  put  forward  and,  most  importantly,  implement  a  program  for  more  effective  development  of  the  country. Neither the weak and fragmented opposition, represented by rival political parties, student organizations and the Catholic Church, nor the ruling group, completely satisfied with the Gnassingbé regime, which allowed it to retain power and privileges, challenged the candidacy of Gnassingbé.

The paper argues that political longevity in itself is not a serious problem, which, in particular, is supported by the examples of Rwanda’s Paul Kagame (2000-present) and Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni (1986-present), who have achieved notable success in implementing economic development and ensuring political stability. However, political longevity may be justified only when it is not accompanied by the rampant growth of corruption, impunity and escalation of conflicts. In Togo in recent years, all of these trends have  been  observed,  but  Gnassingbé’s  convincing  electoral  victory  demonstrated  the  apparent  coincidence  of  interests  of  the insatiable leader and the country’s population, which is deprived of many civil liberties but lives in relative peace and prosperity.

KeywordsTogo, Faure Gnassingbé, Gnassingbé Eyadema, political leaders, electoral processes, political longevity
Publication date27.08.2020
Number of characters26593
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