Ethiopia’s ruling Prosperity Party has won a decisive majority in the country’s seventh general election, securing another five-year term for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) officially announced the validated and approved election results during a ceremony held in Addis Ababa on Sunday. According to the board, the Prosperity Party captured 438 out of the 547 seats in the House of Peoples’ Representatives. This mark’s the second election victory for the party under the leadership of Prime Minister Abiy.
The remaining verified seats were split between opposition political groups and independent candidates. Opposition parties secured 41 seats in the federal parliament, while independent individuals won 8 seats.
The electoral board provided a detailed look at the Prosperity Party’s victories across the country’s various administrative regions and cities. The ruling party secured 167 seats in the Oromia region, 117 seats in the Amhara region, 35 seats in South Ethiopia, 28 seats in Central Ethiopia, and 20 seats in the capital city of Addis Ababa. Additionally, the party took 19 seats in the Somali region, 17 seats in Southwest Ethiopia, 13 seats in Sidama, 8 seats in Benishangul-Gumuz, and 3 seats in the Gambella region.
However, the election was heavily impacted by security challenges and political disputes, leading to complete or partial voting omissions in several volatile areas.
For the second consecutive national election, voters in the northern Tigray region—which holds 38 parliamentary seats—did not participate. The region was excluded amid growing fears of renewed conflict, as both the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) continue to trade accusations over alleged violations of the Pretoria peace agreement that originally ended the two-year civil war.
Similarly, active insurgencies and armed group movements disrupted the voting process in the country’s two largest regions. In the Amhara region, security concerns prevented voting from taking place in approximately eight key constituencies. Ongoing instability also caused polling delays and cancellations across several districts within the Oromia region.
The NEBE noted that the general voting, which took place on May 24, 2018, according to the Ethiopian calendar, was largely successful despite the security issues faced in these specific constituencies. The board stated that residents in the areas where voting was bypassed will have the opportunity to cast their ballots in the future, though a specific date for those makeup elections has not yet been determined.
With its overwhelming majority now certified, the Prosperity Party is positioned to officially form the next federal government by late September. This transition guarantees that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed will retain his position to lead the nation for the next five years.
