The vote ultimately took place peacefully. On Thursday, July 17, municipal elections were held without incident in Togo, despite renewed calls to protest by the “Mouvement du 6 juin” (M66, a coalition of activists), which has condemned the rising cost of living and the recent constitutional reform that has allowed Faure Gnassingbé – who has led the country since 2005 – to remain in power with no term limits. A heavy security presence was deployed in Lomé and several presumed leaders were reportedly arrested as a preventive measure.
Demonstrations took place in the capital on June 5 and 6, and again on June 26, 27 and 28. Law enforcement harshly suppressed the protests. The outcome: Seven people were killed, according to civil society organizations, while the government acknowledged five deaths − “by drowning.”
In Paris, the political opposition – along with some officials who spoke anonymously – expressed outrage at the repression carried out by Togolese authorities, who had previously shed blood during earlier protest movements in 2005 and 2017. After having been the main ally of former president Gnassingbé Eyadéma, a prominent figure in the Françafrique network who ruled Togo from 1967 to 2005, France has remained an important partner for his son, Faure Gnassingbé. In 2011, the two countries notably signed a defense partnership agreement, which remains in force.
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