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Ethiopia holds 2026 election with Tigray region excluded

Ethiopia holds 2026 election with Tigray region excluded

Rule Changes

Abiy Ahmed's Prosperity Party faces fragmented opposition in a vote that could open the path to constitutional changes

Yesterday: Ethiopia holds 2026 general election

Overview

Ethiopia's entire Tigray region was excluded from Monday's vote. Polls closed at 6 p.m. across the rest of the country at roughly 48,000 stations. Results are expected by June 11.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's Prosperity Party faces a splintered opposition. Reuters and Al Jazeera both reported a projected landslide before polls opened. A dominant majority gives Abiy the parliamentary votes to amend the 1995 federal constitution, which defines Ethiopia's regions partly by ethnic group.

Why it matters

A dominant majority gives Abiy the votes to rewrite Ethiopia's federal constitution and change governance for 130 million people.

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Key Indicators

50M+
Eligible voters
Voters registered by the National Election Board of Ethiopia for the 2026 vote.
48,000
Polling stations
Open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. across the country, except in Tigray.
0
Polling stations in Tigray
An entire region of roughly 6 million people did not participate.
130M
Ethiopian population
Africa's second-most populous country after Nigeria.

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People Involved

Abiy Ahmed Ali
Abiy Ahmed Ali
Seeking a second elected term
 Berhanu Nega
Berhanu Nega
Leading the main centrist opposition into the 2026 vote

Organizations Involved

Prosperity Party
Prosperity Party
Ruling political party
Seeking a second consecutive landslide

Ethiopia's ruling party, formed when Abiy Ahmed merged the previous ruling coalition into a single national party in late 2019.
National Election Board of Ethiopia
National Election Board of Ethiopia
Federal election authority
Running the 2026 vote and tallying results

The independent federal body charged with running Ethiopia's elections.
Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice (Ezema)
Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice (Ezema)
Opposition political party
Main organized centrist opposition in 2026 vote

Ethiopia's main centrist opposition party, formed after Abiy's 2018 reforms opened political space to exiled groups.

Timeline

April 2018 June 2026

7 events Latest: Yesterday
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Ethiopia holds 2026 general election

    Latest Election

    Voting takes place at roughly 48,000 stations across the country except in Tigray. Results expected by June 11.

  2. Pretoria peace agreement ends Tigray war

    Peace agreement

    Federal government and TPLF sign a cessation of hostilities agreement. African Union mediates.

  3. Prosperity Party wins first election under Abiy

    Election

    Prosperity Party wins 410 of 436 contested seats; Tigray does not vote.

  4. Federal forces enter Tigray

    Conflict

    Abiy orders military operation in Tigray after a TPLF attack on a federal army base.

  5. Prosperity Party replaces EPRDF coalition

    Political reorganization

    Abiy dissolves the EPRDF coalition. TPLF refuses to join the new single national party.

  6. Abiy wins Nobel Peace Prize

    Recognition

    Nobel Committee cites the peace agreement with Eritrea ending two decades of frozen conflict.

  7. Abiy Ahmed becomes prime minister

    Political transition

    Abiy takes office after Hailemariam Desalegn resigns. He launches political and economic reforms.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

May–November 2005

Ethiopian general election (2005)

Ethiopia held a parliamentary election in May 2005 in which the Coalition for Unity and Democracy won most seats in Addis Ababa and contested results nationally. The ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) declared overall victory. Security forces killed roughly 193 people in protests during June and November.

Then

Most opposition leaders were arrested and tried for treason. Some served years in prison before pardons.

Now

The crackdown ended Ethiopia's opening toward multi-party competition. The next two elections in 2010 and 2015 returned the EPRDF with more than 99% of seats.

Why this matters now

The 2005 vote is the closest parallel for organized opposition gains in Ethiopia. The 2026 election tests whether Abiy's government handles opposition challenges differently than the earlier EPRDF leadership did.

June 2021

Ethiopian general election (2021)

Ethiopia held its first general election under Abiy in June 2021. The Prosperity Party won 410 of 436 contested seats in the House of Peoples' Representatives. Voting was postponed in several constituencies and never held in Tigray, where federal forces were fighting the TPLF.

Then

Abiy was sworn in for a five-year term in October 2021. The Tigray war continued for another 16 months.

Now

The result gave Prosperity Party dominance over a unicameral parliament with no meaningful opposition bloc. International observers largely declined to monitor the vote.

Why this matters now

The 2026 election repeats the 2021 pattern: dominant ruling party, partial geographic coverage, limited opposition. The difference is what Abiy can now do with that majority in his second term.

August 2017

Rwandan presidential election (2017)

Paul Kagame won Rwanda's 2017 presidential election with 98.8% of the vote. A 2015 constitutional referendum had removed term limits, letting him stand for a third term and potentially remain in office until 2034. Two opposition candidates each won under 1%.

Then

Kagame began a third term. The Rwandan Patriotic Front extended its control over national politics.

Now

Rwanda became the case study of a developmental authoritarian state: strong service delivery, GDP growth above 7%, near-total political control by one party. Kagame remains president in 2026.

Why this matters now

Rwanda is the closest African case of economic modernization paired with single-party dominance enforced through elections and constitutional revision. The 2026 Ethiopian vote is the next test of whether that model can fit a country of 130 million.

Sources

(3)
Wikipedia Al Jazeera Africanews