Togo has begun a two-week campaign for legislative and regional elections scheduled for April 29, local media reported.
The upcoming elections will be the first regional elections in the country's history.
On April 4, the government announced a change in the calendar for the parliamentary and regional elections, originally scheduled for April 20. According to the presidency, the move is due to the need for "consultations" on the constitutional reforms approved in March.
On March 25, Togo's National Assembly approved changes to the country's constitution, including the country's transition from a presidential to a parliamentary system and a single six-year term for Togo's president instead of five years, renewable once.
Five days later, the President of Togo, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe, "attentive to the interest manifested by the populations" and "in a spirit of openness and constructive dialogue," returned the new constitution adopted by the deputies to the parliament and ordered a second reading.
The opposition reportedly rejected the new constitution and called on the population to prevent its final adoption. It accused the authorities of trying to allow Gnassingbe, who has been elected head of state four times, to remain in power.