Togo's parliament on Friday gave final approval to a constitutional reform which has fuelled tensions with opposition parties who fear it will allow President Faure Gnassingbe to stay in power, lawmakers said.

Togo's parliament already adopted the new constitution last month, but Gnassingbe asked lawmakers to vote again after opposition parties called the reform a "constitutional coup" by changing to a parliamentary system with a new prime minister-style post they say will allow him to be in office indefinitely.

The change of the constitution, was proposed by a group of lawmakers mostly from the Union for the Republic (UNIR) ruling party.

It proposed for president to be chosen "without debate" by lawmakers "for a single six-year term", and not by the public.

Currently, the president can serve a maximum of two five-year terms.

In 2019, members of parliament revised the constitution to limit presidential terms to two, but it did not apply retrospectively, leaving President Faure Gnassingbe free to stand for the next two elections.

Gnassingbe – in power since 2005 – succeeded his father General Gnassingbe Eyadema, who seized power in a coup more than 50 years ago.

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