Togo’s municipal elections on Thursday were overshadowed by low voter turnout and heightened security, underscoring public disillusionment and tension following recent political unrest.
In Lomé, the capital, polling stations remained largely empty, reflecting growing voter apathy and fear after government crackdowns on opposition protests in June left several people dead.
The elections were widely viewed as a litmus test for President Faure Gnassingbé, whose controversial constitutional reform has drawn both domestic and international criticism.
The reform, passed earlier this year, allows Gnassingbé — in power since 2005 after the death of his father, long-time ruler Gnassingbé Eyadéma — to retain a newly established role as president of the Council of Ministers.
The position carries no term limits and can be renewed indefinitely by parliamentary vote.
Ahead of the election, civil society groups and diaspora-based influencers urged a boycott, arguing that the political climate was too repressive for a credible democratic process.
They cited recent crackdowns on dissent and a lack of electoral transparency.
On election day, heavily armed police and military personnel were stationed at major intersections throughout Lomé, further discouraging public participation.
“In 2019, there was more energy and hope,” said Sémon Aboudou outside a nearly deserted polling center in the opposition stronghold of Bè. “Today, people are staying home.”
Voter Edem Adjaklo, in the Gakli neighborhood, echoed those sentiments: “People are scared — scared of being targeted by protesters for voting, or of being caught in clashes with security forces.”
The municipal elections, the first national vote since the constitutional reform, have further deepened concerns about Togo’s democratic trajectory.
