2013 Togolese parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections was held in Togo in 2013. They were originally scheduled for October 2012, but protests and strikes asking for electoral reforms delayed the process. After being rescheduled for 24 March 2013, they were postponed again.

Opposition demands and protests

Some members of the opposition are seeking a postponement of the election in order to see electoral reforms take effect prior to the election, while others seek the repeal of the changes as improperly induced. Amongst the latter is the controversial gerrymandering of constituency borders in favour of the incumbent Rally of the Togolese People party and the 10 seat increase in parliament bringing a total of 91 MPs.

Though the government had forbidden street demonstrations in commercial areas, citing an inability to maintain security and public order, protests organisers from opposition and civil society groups pledged to carry out protests and denounced what they termed an attempt to stifle criticism. Protests termed "Let's Save Togo" were then planned for 21–23 August. On the first day, several thousand protesters commenced a march in Lome's Be neighbourhood and then headed to the commercial district of Deckon, where 100 police officers were deployed. Trouble then arose amid a dispute as to whether the protest march would end in Deckon for a rally or proceed further. The protesters were then dispersed using tear gas 10 minutes after the march commenced.