Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Prosperity Party (PP) achieved a sweeping victory in the legislative elections held on June 1, capturing nearly 90 percent of the available seats, according to the national election commission.
Since assuming leadership in 2018, Abiy has faced increasing criticism over a perceived shift toward authoritarianism—a stark contrast to his early tenure, during which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for normalizing diplomatic ties with Eritrea.
The Prosperity Party entered the race as the dominant favorite in the nation of 130 million people, benefiting from a fragmented opposition that failed to field candidates in numerous constituencies.
According to a tally by Agence France-Presse following the announcement by National Elections Board (NEBE) chairwoman Melatwork Hailu, the ruling party secured 438 of the 486 seats in the House of Peoples’ Representatives.
The NEBE reported that approximately 40 million of the 54 million registered voters cast their ballots across 501 of the 547 constituencies.
The commission further noted that 143 polling stations remained closed on election day due to security risks. Additionally, voting was disrupted in several areas within the Amhara and Oromia regions, though specific details regarding these interruptions were not provided.