Togo has officially inaugurated a new President of the Republic. On Saturday, May 3, 2025, Jean-Lucien Kwassi Lanyo Savi de Tové, 86, was elected by Parliament — composed of both the National Assembly and the newly established Senate — meeting in joint session for the first time in Lomé.
As the sole candidate, nominated by the ruling Union for the Republic (Unir) party, Savi de Tové was elected in the first round with a unanimous vote from all 150 participating lawmakers (100% of votes cast). A veteran of Togolese politics, he holds a doctorate in political science and previously served as a minister and as president of the Permanent Framework for Dialogue and Consultation (CPDC). He becomes the first President of Togo’s Fifth Republic, a largely symbolic head of state and figure of national unity.
However, the appointment comes amid rising controversy. Following a recent constitutional reform that shifted the country to a parliamentary system, a new position — President of the Council of Ministers — has been created. This role, now held by Faure Gnassingbé, is the highest executive office in the government and notably carries no official term limits.
Critics have denounced the move as a “constitutional coup,” arguing that it effectively allows Gnassingbé, who has ruled Togo since 2005, to extend his grip on power indefinitely, despite no longer holding the presidency.
The reform, seen by opponents as a strategic reshuffling rather than genuine democratization, has triggered widespread concern and criticism both domestically and abroad. Many see it as an indirect continuation of Gnassingbé’s reign, sparking fears over the erosion of democratic norms in the West African nation.
Togo gets a new President, but Faure Gnassingbé retains real power
