Lome, April 20 (IANS): Togo's National Assembly has passed a controversial constitutional amendment, changing the West African country from a presidential to a parliamentary system.

Parliament will in future choose the president, contrary to past practice of direct election. The opposition boycotted Friday's vote, alleging the move came with the intention of allowing the president to remain in office for longer.

President Faure Gnassingbé will now be able to remain in power in one of the world's poorest countries up to 2031.

The amendment was first introduced in December. It led to countrywide protests against attempts by the Gnassingbé family to entrench themselves in power.

Gnassingbé became president in 2005 following the death of his father, who had ruled autocratically since a coup in 1967.

Following years of isolation, Togo opened up increasingly under the new president, and democratization made progress in the country of some 5.5 million. The opposition now sees this progress as jeopardized.