Faure Gnassingbé will be inaugurated Saturday as Togo’s President of the Council of Ministers, marking the final phase of sweeping constitutional changes.
This shift follows a controversial reform enacted in May that transformed Togo from a presidential to a parliamentary system, altering the balance of power.
Under the new structure, the President of the Republic becomes a ceremonial figurehead, while real executive authority now lies with the head of the Council of Ministers.
Gnassingbé, whose Union for the Republic (UNIR) party secured 108 of 113 parliamentary seats, is set to assume the post.
Opposition parties have condemned both the reform and the elections as a “masquerade,” accusing Gnassingbé of manipulating the system to extend his grip on power.
The Constitutional Court confirmed Friday that the swearing-in will take place Saturday morning, formally placing Gnassingbé at the helm of the redefined government.
Simultaneously, lawmakers and senators will elect a new President of the Republic, a symbolic role stripped of substantive authority.
Gnassingbé has ruled since 2005, following his father’s 38-year reign after a military coup, creating one of Africa’s most enduring political dynasties.
Critics argue the reforms undermine democratic principles and concentrate power further within a single political lineage.
Supporters, however, claim the changes bring Togo in line with parliamentary democracies and ensure stability in governance.
Saturday’s ceremony will symbolise not just a new chapter in Togo’s political structure, but also the deepening divide between its ruling elite and a fragmented opposition.
As the nation watches its new government take shape, the legitimacy of its future remains hotly contested both at home and abroad.