1979 Togolese constitutional referendum

A constitutional referendum was held in Togo on 30 December 1979, alongside simultaneous general elections. The changes to the constitution would establish the Third Togolese Republic and make the country a presidential republic and a one-party state, and were approved by 99.87% of voters with a 99.4% turnout. The constitution came into force on 12 January 1980.

Background

The referendum took place simultaneously with legislative and presidential elections, the first to take place in the country since Gnassingbé Eyadéma's coup in 1967. Following the coup, the National Assembly was dissolved and 1963 constitution abolished.
On 30 August 1969 Eyadéma founded the Rally of the Togolese People, a de facto single party. His position as president of Togo was confirmed during a 1972 plebiscite. The 1979 elections saw him retain the presidency unopposed with the RPT winning all the seats in the National Assembly.

Aims

The new constitution provided for a strong presidential system and officially made the country a one-party state. Article 10 stated that "The RPT, single party expresses the aspirations of the working masses. The Togolese political system is based on the single-party system." The president can call for referendums, which are mandatory for constitutional matters if the parliament doesn't approve a law by a two-thirds majority.

Results

Voters voted using ballots colored red for "yes" and white for "no". In many polling stations, neither white "no" ballots nor voting booths were present.