Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Prosperity Party has secured another commanding parliamentary majority in the country’s latest elections, according to results released on Sunday by the National Election Board.
The ruling party won 438 seats, representing roughly 90 per cent of the seats for which results were announced at a ceremony broadcast on Facebook. The figure far exceeds the 274 seats required for a majority in the 547-member lower house of parliament.
Abiy, who came to power in 2018 following mass protests against the former ruling coalition, established the Prosperity Party in 2019 after dissolving the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), which had governed the country for more than two decades.
The party’s dominant performance was widely anticipated due to a fragmented opposition and limited electoral competition in several regions.
Not all parliamentary seats were contested in the election. Voting did not take place in the conflict-affected Tigray region and parts of the Amhara region, reducing the total number of seats up for contest.
In the previous 2021 elections, the Prosperity Party also secured a similar share of the available seats, reinforcing its dominance in Ethiopia’s political landscape.
The ruling party has promoted its record on economic growth and food security during the campaign period, projecting that Ethiopia’s economy could grow by more than 10 per cent in 2026—one of the fastest rates in Africa.
More than 50 million citizens were registered to vote, but insecurity in several regions significantly affected participation.
No vote was held in the northern Tigray region due to what authorities described as “unfavourable conditions” following years of conflict and political instability after a devastating two-year civil war.
The federal government also continues to face armed insurgencies in the Oromiya and Amhara regions.
In Oromiya, clashes between government forces and the Oromo Liberation Army have reportedly killed hundreds in recent years, while in Amhara, the Fano militia has seized control of several rural areas since 2023, preventing voting in multiple constituencies.
Although a 2022 peace agreement formally ended the Tigray conflict—one of the deadliest wars in recent African history—tensions remain, with analysts warning of the risk of renewed unrest following recent political developments in the region.
Opposition groups have accused the government of suppressing political competition through arrests and legal restrictions, allegations denied by officials.
With its latest victory, the Prosperity Party further consolidates its grip on national governance, even as Ethiopia continues to navigate complex regional conflicts and political divisions.
