{Togo’s government closed schools in the capital, Lome, ahead of protests by opposition and ruling party supporters.
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A coalition of opposition parties, known as CAP 2015, plans to hold a demonstration to demand constitutional reforms before a presidential election is held next year. CAP 2015 is headed by Jean-Pierre Fabre, who plans to run against incumbent President Faure Gnassingbe.
“Due to the potential risks that protests have for the safety of students, schools will be closed on Friday,” the Education Ministry said in a statement read on state television yesterday.
Gnassingbe, 48, in 2005 succeeded his father Gnassingbe Eyadema, who had led the cotton and coffee-exporting nation since 1967. Last year, his ruling Union for the Republic party won more than two-thirds of the seats in parliament in legislative elections.
In August, Fabre called for an overhaul of the country’s electoral commission to make it “fair and credible,” because he said the current composition favors the ruling party. The 62-year-old former university lecturer and newspaper editor has also demanded that a limit be imposed on presidential terms.
A month earlier, all 61 lawmakers from the ruling party voted against a proposed law to limit presidents to two terms in office.
Bloomberg
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