Togo has held municipal elections, but voter turnout was reportedly low amid widespread apathy and fears of violence. Many polling stations in the capital, Lome, were deserted on Thursday following deadly protests last month over controversial constitutional reforms.
The unrest was sparked by changes approved by a pro-government parliament that allow long-serving President Faure Gnassingbe to remain in power indefinitely. Gnassingbe, who has ruled since 2005, now heads the Council of Ministers under the new parliamentary system, a role with no term limits.
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The June protests, triggered by the arrest of a popular rapper who called for demonstrations, were violently dispersed. Rights groups say police were responsible for the deaths of seven protesters whose bodies were later recovered from local rivers.
Despite calls for fresh protests, Lome remained quiet during Thursday’s vote, though heavily guarded by police and military forces. Civil society groups and opposition voices abroad had urged a boycott of the election, which is the first national vote since the constitutional changes.
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