Ethiopian PM's party wins landslide in general election

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has secured a decisive victory in the country's seventh general elections, with his Prosperity Party winning 438 out of 547 seats in the House of Peoples' Representatives. The results, announced by the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) on Sunday, guarantee Ahmed a new five-year term as prime minister, having been in power since 2018.

The ruling party's triumph was expected in a nation where the opposition has frequently cited repression and state control over media. The election saw over 50 million Ethiopians eligible to vote, but security concerns disrupted the process in several areas. Notably, voting could not take place in the northern Tigray region, which experienced a devastating war between 2020 and 2022, nor in eight constituencies in the Amhara region due to ongoing clashes.

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the board maintained its institutional neutrality and performed its functions exclusively in accordance with the law and electoral guidelines, without interference.

Despite the challenges, the NEBE chairperson asserted the board's institutional neutrality and adherence to electoral laws. However, the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), fighting federal forces in the Oromia region, dismissed the elections as a "farce." The Prosperity Party's overwhelming win solidifies its majority in parliament, paving the way for Ahmed's expected swearing-in for his new mandate in October.

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We do not expect anything positive from the elections. The entire environment clearly favors the ruling party. We cannot operate freely or meet with our constituents.