Togo’s ruling party of President Faure Gnassingbe won 34 of the 41 Senate seats decided in an election, according to provisional results released on Sunday.

The new senate voted on Saturday by 1,706 municipal and regional lawmakers was the final stage of the establishment of a new constitution, called for by Gnassingbe, in the west African state of nine million people.

Opposition parties largely boycotted the election. They have strongly criticised the reforms under which elections for the head of state will be abolished and the main power will be transferred to a new post, president of the council, to be nominated by the ruling party.

Gnassingbe has ruled since the death of his father in 2005 and opponents say the changes will only tighten his grip on power. Under the old constitution, Gnassingbe could stand for one final term in 2025.

His Union for the Republic party won 108 out of 111 seats in a legislative election in April. Once the senate is completed, lawmakers from the two chambers will vote for the president of the council. Another 20 senate seats will be nominated by the prime minister.

Foreign media were not given accreditation to cover the senate election, as was the case for the legislative vote.