Togo is set to hold its first elections for the upper house of parliament, the Senate, on February 2, 2024.

Togo is set to hold its first elections for the upper house of parliament, the Senate, on February 2, marking one of the final steps in implementing a controversial new constitution, according to a government announcement on Thursday.

The new constitution eliminates the election of the head of state through universal suffrage and establishes a parliamentary system.

This reform has been heavily criticized by opposition parties and civil society groups, who view it as a strategy by President Faure Gnassingbe to extend his hold on power indefinitely.

Gnassingbe has been in power in the small West African country of 8.8 million people since 2005, after succeeding his father, who ruled for 38 years.

Under the previous constitution, Gnassingbe could have only run for president once more in 2025.

However, the new reforms transform the presidency into a largely ceremonial role, with the president being elected by parliament for a four-year term, rather than by the public.

Gnassingbe will be able to assume the role of president of the council of ministers, allowing him to remain in power without term limits as long as his political party, the Union for the Republic (UNIR), continues to hold the majority in the national assembly.

The 57-year-old leader has won four elections, though all have been condemned as fraudulent by the opposition.

A constitutional amendment in 2002 had envisioned the creation of a Senate, but it was never realized until now.

On February 2, two-thirds of the Senate will be elected by regional and municipal councillors, who were themselves elected at the end of April. The remaining third of senators will be appointed directly by the president.

According to the new constitution, the Senate will be responsible for reviewing bills before they are passed to the national assembly for approval.

Senate candidates will be able to campaign from January 17 to 31, the government said.

Currently, Gnassingbe leads the UNIR, which secured 108 out of 113 seats in the legislative elections held in April.

The presidency has argued that the constitutional changes are aimed at ensuring broader representation.

Once the Senate elections are concluded, Togo will officially enter its fifth republic.

Opposition efforts to protest the reform have been largely suppressed by the authorities, as political rallies have been banned in Togo since 2022.