Ethiopia's Prosperity Party secured 438 of 486 parliamentary seats in June 1 elections, with Abiy set for another term beginning October.
9:17 PM
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's Prosperity Party has secured a landslide parliamentary majority in the country's general election, according to results released Sunday by the National Elections Board.
The Prosperity Party won 438 of the 486 contested seats in the House of Peoples' Representatives, representing roughly 90 percent of the contested seats, said Melatwork Hailu, chairperson of the NEBE. Abiy is set to be sworn in for another term at the beginning of October.
The June 1 legislative elections proceeded despite voting not taking place in parts of the country, including areas in the Tigray, Amhara, and Oromia regions. More than 40 parties ran against Ahmed's Prosperity Party, though most lacked funding and the ruling party was unopposed in 64 constituencies.
The best-represented rival, Ezema, fielded 293 candidates compared with the Prosperity Party's 461. The ruling party's candidates campaigned on the government's economic record and on improving food security in a country that has experienced several famines in the past.
Abiy, 49, first came to power in 2018 amid anti-government protests. He is a Nobel Peace Prize winner. His supporters believe he will continue with the economic gains he has overseen.
The election was overshadowed by conflict, accusations of repression, and little participation by opposition parties. Some observers have expressed concern that internal divisions and security challenges facing Africa's second most-populous country may worsen under Abiy's continued leadership.
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