Togo - 1993 - Presidental Election
By 1993, after nearly three decades of authoritarian rule under Gnassingbé Eyadéma, mounting domestic and international pressure forced Togo to open its political system. The August presidential election was meant to be a step toward democracy. After protracted negotiations, opposition parties were permitted to field candidates in the August presidential election, and international observers were invited to monitor the process.
Among the observers was a joint Carter Center-National Democratic Institute (NDI) mission, led by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. Unfortunately, as the election date drew near, the ruling party refused to undertake needed reforms to address a flawed voter registry, restrictions on domestic observers, and closing political space. Once the last major opposition candidate withdrew, 36 hours before the election the mission made the critical decision to terminate its observation so as not to legitimize a fundamentally flawed process. Not surprisingly, Eyadéma was declared the election winner. He remained in power until his death in 2005, and his ruling party continues to govern today.
In this recording, Edward R. McMahon, Chief of Staff for the Carter Center-NDI mission, recounts the tense days leading up to their withdrawal. He describes political pressures from the U.S. Embassy, the deteriorating electoral environment, and the moment when President Carter made the call to leave, recognizing that staying would have meant endorsing a sham election. This story highlights a critical challenge in election observation: the need for international missions to take clear-cut, non-ambivalent positions in the face of illegitimate contests.
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