Ruling party romps home to expected victory

The ruling Rassemblement du Peuple togolais (RPT) has romped home to an easy victory in Togo’s parliamentary elections. With 60 seats in the 81-member parliament declared by today (Tuesday), 59 had been taken by RTP candidates, while the other went to one of two parties allied to it. These were the only parties to have taken part in the election, in which 10 independents also ran. The main opposition groups boycotted the poll in protest against last year’s presidential election: President Gnassingbe Eyadema was declared winner of the mid-1998 presidentials, but the opposition rejected the result. Observers from a number of African and European countries reportedly stated yesterday (Monday) in a joint communique that Sunday’s polls were conducted satisfactorily. However, U.S. State Department spokesman James Foley said in a statement that without the participation of the opposition the poll did not reflect the will of the Togolese people.