Ethiopia votes as Abiy seeks landslide amid warlandslide amid war and dissent
Ethiopia held general elections on June 1 as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his Prosperity Party sought a large victory. The vote comes after the Tigray peace deal and against the backdrop of insurgencies and political dissent in the country’s biggest regions.
It matters because the result will shape Ethiopia’s fragile federal balance and test whether the government can stabilize a country still marked by conflict.
Government and ruling party
Supporters of Abiy Ahmed present the election as a step toward political continuity after years of war and upheaval. They argue that a strong mandate is needed to keep the federal state intact and press ahead with recovery.
Opposition and regional critics
Critics say the vote is taking place in an uneven political climate, with some parties constrained and regional grievances unresolved. They contend that Ethiopia’s federal system still leaves many communities feeling excluded from power.
International observers
Outside analysts are watching the election as a test of whether the post-Tigray settlement can hold. They are also assessing whether the vote can reduce, or instead deepen, unrest in Ethiopia’s major regions.
- Ethiopia is Africa’s second-most populous country.
- Its federal capital, Addis Ababa, is also the headquarters of the African Union.
- The Tigray region borders Eritrea and has long been central to Ethiopian politics and war.
Sudan Civil War
Sudan's civil war has entered its fourth year, increasingly resembling a war of attrition defined by a de facto territorial division between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with the SAF recently reclaiming the presidential palace in central Khartoum as a major tactical victory[1][3].
1 January
Open fighting breaks out between the SAF and RSF and spreads across Sudan.1 January
Talks over integrating the RSF into the army fail to resolve the power struggle.1 January
A military takeover ends the civilian transition and deepens rivalry between Burhan and Hemedti.
