Ethiopia: Abiy Ahmed's Party Wins 438 Seats in Landslide Election Marred by Unrest

Ethiopia's ruling Prosperity Party — led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed — secured a sweeping parliamentary majority in final election results announced Sunday, winning 438 of 501 seats in the House of Representatives. The outcome was widely expected given the party's near-total control of state machinery, but opposition leaders and international observers sharply criticised the vote's credibility.

Results and Path Ahead

The National Election Board of Ethiopia confirmed the results, noting that the Prosperity Party far exceeded the 274-seat threshold required to form a government for the next five years. The new parliament is expected to convene in October to formally re-elect Abiy Ahmed as prime minister for another term, continuing his hold on power in Africa's second most populous country.

Election Marred by Insecurity

The electoral process was significantly compromised by ongoing conflicts. Insecurity in the Oromia and Amhara regions — both of which have seen sustained armed fighting — resulted in 143 polling stations failing to open, leaving an unknown number of eligible voters unable to cast ballots. The entire Tigray region, still recovering from a devastating civil war, was once again excluded from participation.

Opposition Voices Concerns

Opposition leader Merara Gudina called the vote a "sham" and expressed grave concerns about the country's political trajectory. Several international election monitoring groups noted that restrictions on campaigning, media access, and the presence of security forces near polling stations fell below democratic standards. The government rejected these characterisations, describing the elections as free and fair.

"This was not an election — it was a formality to consolidate one-party rule," Merara Gudina told reporters.