anes, Centrale, Maritime

Independence: 27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 April (1960)

Constitution: multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of
the Republic 1 July 1992; adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992

Legal system: French-based court system

Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch: chief of state: President Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA
(since 14 April 1967) head of government: Prime Minister Agbeyome KODJO
(since 29 August 2000) 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: Gnassingbe EYADEMA reelected president; percent of vote -
Gnassingbe EYADEMA 52.13%, Gilchrist OLYMPIO 34.12%, other 13.75%

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 was tentatively scheduled for March 2002, however,
it was postponed with no new date given) note: Togo's main opposition
parties boycotted the election because of EYADEMA's alleged manipulation
of 1998 presidential polling; in March of 1999, opposition parties
entered into negotiations with the president over the establishment
of an independent electoral commission and a new round of legislative
elections election results: 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), Jean Pierre
FABRE, general secretary in Togo]; Union of Independent Liberals or ULI
[Jacques AMOUZOU] 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

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA,