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Togo's transition to democracy is stalled. Its democratic institutions remain nascent and fragile. President Gnassingbé Eyadéma, who ruled Togo under a one-party system for nearly 25 of his 37 years in power, was the dominant political figure and controlled the security forces.
Army Chief of Staff General Zakari Nandja announced Eyadéma's son, communications minister Faure Eyadéma, as successor, saying the speaker of parliament (who should have taken over under the constitution) was out of the country. African Union leaders described the naming of Faure Eyadema as a military coup. [1] (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4240485.stm)
The Togolese judiciary is modeled on the French system. For administrative purposes, Togo is divided into 30 prefectures, each having an appointed prefect.
Country name
conventional long form:
Togolese Republic
conventional short form:
Togo
local long form:
Republique Togolaise
local short form:
none
former:
French Togoland
Data code
TO
Independence
April 27 1960 (from French-administered United Nations trusteeship)
National holiday
Independence Day, April 27 (1960)
Government type
republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
Capital
Lome
Administrative divisions
5 regions (regions, singular - region); De La Kara, Des Plateaux, Des Savanes, Du Centre, Maritime
Constitution
multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of the Republic July 1 1992; adopted by public referendum September 27 1992
Legal system
French-based court system
Suffrage
NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch
chief of state:
President Faure EYADEMA (since February 5, 2005)
head of government:
Prime Minister Eugene Koffi ADOBOLI (since NA May 1999)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the prime minister
elections:
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 21 June 1998 (next to be held NA 2003); prime minister appointed by the president
election results:
Gnassingbé EYADÉMA reelected president; percent of vote - Gnassingbé EYADÉMA 52.13%, Gilchrist OLYMPIO 34.12%, other 13.75%. Gnassingbé Eyadéma died on February 5, 2005.
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections:
last held 21 March 1999 (next due to be held NA 2004)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPT 77, independents 2, vacant 2
note:
Togo's main opposition parties boycotted the election because of EYADEMA's alleged manipulation of 1998 presidential polling; since March of 1999, opposition parties have entered into negotiations with the president over the establishment of an independent electoral commission and a new round of legislative elections for sometime in 2000
Judicial branch
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders
Action Committee for Renewal or CAR [Yawovi AGBOYIBO]; Coordination des Forces Nouvelles or CFN [Joseph KOFFIGOH]; Democratic Convention of African Peoples or CDPA [Leopold GNININVI]; Party for Democracy and Renewal or PDR [Zarifou AYEVA]; Patriotic Pan-African Convergence or CPP [Edem KODJO]; Rally of the Togolese People or RPT [President Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA]; Union of Forces for Change or UFC [Gilchrist OLYMPIO (in exile), Jeane-Pierre FABRE, general secretary in Togo]; Union of Independent Liberals or ULI [Jacques AMOUZO]
note:
Rally of the Togolese People or RPT, led by President EYADEMA, was the only party until the formation of multiple parties was legalized 12 April 1991
International organization participation
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MINURSO, MIPONUH, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, WCO, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO.
Flag description
five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating with yellow; there is a white five-pointed star on a red square in the upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
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