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The ruling party in Togo triumphed in the first local elections in 32 years in this West African country dominated by a single family for decades, the results announced.
Voters in the country's 8 million people voted Sunday in a poll that was described by the Western powers as "an important step in strengthening local democracy."
Some opposition parties took part in the boycott of last year's parliamentary elections to protest against President Faure Gnbadingbe's hold on power.
Gnbadingbé has ruled the country for 15 years since he succeeded his father Eyadema Gnbadingbe, who led the country with an iron premiere for 38 years after his coup d'etat.
In May, Parliament approved a constitutional change allowing Gnbadingbe to sit twice more and eventually hold the position until 2030.
The preliminary results released late Friday by the electoral commission have made available to the Union for the Republic, in power, 895 of the 1490 seats proposed local councils.
The National Alliance for Change was second with 134 seats, ahead of two other opposition groups.
The overall participation rate was estimated at just over 52%, but participation was low in the capital, Lomé. The vote did not take place in three regions of the country for "technical reasons".
The elections took place almost two years after hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of Lome and other cities during anti-government demonstrations, which resulted in deadly clashes.
Demonstrations broke out again earlier this year in Togo, between Ghana and Benin, but have since declined.
Political activists were arrested by security forces and police.
Previous councilors elected in local elections in Togo governed for 14 years beginning in 1987, although they were elected for a five-year term.
The councilors were then replaced by "special delegations", charged with organizing new elections, often occupied by personalities chosen by hand by the government.
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