The political crisis in Togo has escalated to international levels, as a coalition of 43 civil society organizations (CSOs) from across Africa and its diaspora has issued a joint appeal to the ECOWAS, African Union (AU), and United Nations (UN) to impose sanctions on the Togolese government. The move follows a landmark ruling by the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, which declared the government’s constitutional reform of March 2024 an unconstitutional change of regime.
This unprecedented collective action underscores growing regional concerns over institutional manipulation in Lomé. The signatories, representing a broad spectrum of African CSOs, argue that the reform—shifting Togo from a presidential to a parliamentary system with executive powers vested in a Council President—constitutes an institutional hijacking designed to circumvent term limits. They further highlight that the reform was rammed through by lawmakers whose own mandates had already expired, without any public referendum.
The core of their complaint rests on the ECOWAS Court’s ruling ECW/CCJ/JUD/01/26, which found that the constitutional amendments violate the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance (ACDEG). The organizations warn that such actions set a dangerous precedent for the subregion, where constitutional coups could become normalized.
Five decisive measures demanded by civil society
To curb what they describe as a brazen disregard for democratic norms, the coalition has outlined five concrete sanctions against the Togolese government:
- Immediate suspension of Togo from ECOWAS decision-making bodies;
- Suspension of voting rights and participation for Togo within the African Union;
- Legal proceedings against those responsible for orchestrating the constitutional overhaul;
- Review of diplomatic appointments of government-aligned officials serving in international roles;
- Appointment of a UN Special Rapporteur to monitor human rights and governance violations in Togo.
Government dismisses court ruling as overreach
Lomé has responded with defiance, rejecting the ECOWAS Court’s authority to scrutinize its internal legal processes. In an official statement, the Togolese government asserted that the court lacks the jurisdiction to rule on the constitutionality of domestic laws or the sovereign decisions of member states. Authorities maintain that the transition to the Fifth Republic is a purely national affair, aimed at modernizing the country’s institutions and ensuring stability.