Key facts
- Abiy Ahmed's Prosperity Party won a landslide victory in Ethiopian legislative polls.
- The party secured 438 out of 501 seats, representing nearly 90% of the total.
- Elections were impacted by security concerns, with 143 polling stations not opening.
- Voting was also interrupted in parts of Amhara and Oromia regions.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's Prosperity Party (PP) secured a landslide victory in legislative polls held on June 1, winning 438 out of 501 seats, according to results announced by the National Elections Board (NEBE). This outcome grants the ruling party nearly 90% of the seats and a mandate for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to advance economic reforms and regional influence during his five-year term.
Abiy Ahmed has led Ethiopia since 2018. While his early years were marked by efforts to mend relations with neighboring Eritrea, for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize, he has faced increasing criticism for growing authoritarianism. The Prosperity Party was considered the strong favorite in the nation of 130 million, facing a fragmented opposition that did not field candidates in many constituencies.
Elections took place in 501 of the country's 547 constituencies, with approximately 40 million of the 54 million registered voters participating. The NEBE chairwoman, Melatwork Hailu, stated that 143 polling stations were unable to open on election day due to security concerns. Voting was also interrupted in several locations within the Amhara and Oromia regions, though further details were not provided.