Jean-Lucien Savi de Tové

**Jean-Lucien Kwassi Lanyo Savi de Tové** (dem born am 7 May 1939) be Togolese politician plus civil servant wey dey serve as de fifth president of Togo since 2025. He be member of de Pan-African Patriotic Convergence (CPP). Before, he serve as Minister of Trade, Industry and Handicrafts insyd de governments of Edem Kodjo plus Yawovi Agboyibo from 2005 go 2007.

Savi de Tové wey be former opposition leader, dem jail am plenti times during de time Gnassingbé Eyadéma be president, before he later join government. After dem form de Pan-African Patriotic Convergence (CPP) for 1999, dem make Savi de Tové vice president.  Insyd de 2007 parliamentary election, he try contest for National Assembly seat but he no win. Insyd December dat same year, dem comot am from government, den he also resign as CPP ein vice president dat very day.

Insyd May 2025, after dem do constitutional reform for 2024 wey change how dem dey elect president—from people dem vote to parliament dem elect—the National Assembly take vote wey elect Savi de Tové as president. He take over from Faure Gnassingbé, Eyadéma ein son, and he become de first person to hold de office under de new ceremonial format, since most of de former presidential powers move go new position wey dem dey call president of de Council of Ministers. Dat role now dey under Gnassingbé, wey still hold most of de executive power. As Savi de Tové take office, he nearly be 86 years, making am de oldest person to ever become president.

## Early life den education
Dem born Savi de Tové insyd Lomé to an Ewe Family. He finish law school insyd University of Bordeaux.

## Political career
After de coup wey happen insyd 1967, dem appoint Savi de Tové as Secretary-General for de Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 6 February 1967, and dat time he just be 28 years old. For 1969, as President Gnassingbé Eyadéma form de Rally of the Togolese People (RPT), Savi de Tové join de party since Togo be one-party state by den and RPT be de only legal party.

Insyd 1974, dem comot am from ein position as Secretary-General for Foreign Affairs, replace am first by Kouanvi Tigoue as interim, then permanently by Kodjo de Medeiros for 1975. Later, dem accuse am plus other political people like Gilchrist Olympio say dem dey plan coup. Dem issue arrest warrant on 12 July 1979, wey lead to ein arrest. For August 1979, court convict am plus four other people and sentence dem to ten years for prison.

Insyd 1986, Savi de Tové comot from de RPT, turn independent, den join de 1990–1991 protests wey rise against President Eyadéma to demand make dem start multiparty politics. As dem legalize multiparty politics for 1991, Savi de Tové form ein own party called Party of Democrats for Unity (PDU). He play big role for de National Conference wey happen between July den August dat year between de opposition den government, wey later lead to transitional government formation.

Insyd March 1993, opposition coalition nominate Savi de Tové as Prime Minister during one meeting for Cotonou, Benin, because dem dey criticize how PM Joseph Kokou Koffigoh dey cooperate plus President Eyadéma. But de official government reject de nomination. Insyd 1994, Savi de Tové lef de PDU go contest as independent for parliamentary elections but he no win, so he go back to de party. Then for 1999, de PDU join together plus other parties like UTD den UTS to form de Pan-African Patriotic Convergence (CPP) wey Edem Kodjo lead. Dem appoint Savi de Tové as de first vice-president of de CPP.

Insyd June 2005, dem make am Minister for Trade, Industry den Handicrafts. He keep dat same post inside Yawovi Agboyibo ein government. Savi de Tové sign de political agreement wey come from de 2006 inter-Togolese dialogue for de CPP ein side. For de 2007 parliamentary election, he lead CPP ein list for Zio Prefecture, but de party no get any seat. Dem comot am from de government for December 2007. Then on 27 May 2009, dem appoint am as president of de Permanent Framework for Dialogue and Consultation (CPDC).

## Presidency (2025–present)
Insyd May 2024, Togo officially bring new constitution insyd wey change de country from presidential system go parliamentary one. Dis new law remove most of de powers from de president ein hand den give dem to de prime minister, wey now get new title – president of de Council of Ministers. So de president ein position turn ceremonial, den dem no dey vote for am directly again; now de National Assembly dey vote for de president indirectly. Dem too reduce de presidential term from five years go four years, wey dem fit do only two times.

Dis new system start to work insyd May 2025, wey be de time Savi de Tové get unanimous vote from de National Assembly as president. Dem swear am in right away, make am de first president under de Fifth Republic, wey take over from Faure Gnassingbé. Gnassingbé now be de president of de Council of Ministers, so he still hold most of de executive powers for de country. Savi de Tové take office just four days before ein 86th birthday, wey make am de oldest president ever for Togo ein history.

## Honours

* Order of Mono – Commander (2006)

## References