The African Union (AU) has conveyed its congratulations to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed, following the triumph of his party in the general elections of June 1, in which the Prosperity Party (PP) secured a comfortable majority by winning 438 out of the 501 seats contested.
The Chairperson of the AU Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has expressed his recognition to the Executive and the Ethiopian people for the "successful holding" of the elections, which "have demonstrated the commitment of Ethiopians to continue consolidating democracy as a pillar of socioeconomic development."
In the same vein, he has highlighted the "professionalism" of the Ethiopian electoral commission and reiterated the continental body's willingness to "consolidate democratic governance in the AU member states through credible, peaceful, and transparent electoral processes," according to a statement released after the vote.
Joining these expressions of support for Abiy and the PP's result is the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which has also celebrated the "successful holding" of the general elections in the country, once again highlighting the role played by the national electoral commission.
Thus, the regional organization has emphasized that "the successful holding of the elections reflects Ethiopia's constant commitment to democratic governance and constitutional order," while also stressing that it demonstrates "the country's continuous efforts to foster national unity, strengthen inclusive dialogue, and promote peace, stability, and sustainable development."
In this context, the IGAD has insisted that it "reaffirms its commitment to working closely with the Government of Ethiopia to promote regional cooperation, integration, peace, stability, and sustainable development throughout the IGAD region," as it made known in another statement.
The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) announced on June 21 that the PP had achieved an absolute majority in the House, while Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice (EZEMA) emerged as the second force with thirteen seats, ahead of the National Movement of Amhara (NaMA), which obtained six.
After these formations came the Sidama platform, with three representatives, in addition to other regional forces and several independents who also obtained parliamentary representation. The result represents a new political endorsement for Abiy, who in recent years has faced increased criticism after a promising start to his term that earned him the Nobel Peace Prize.
The election day, which passed without reports of incidents, took place in a climate marked by the resurgence of tensions in the regions of Tigray and Amhara, in the north of the country, and by the intensification of conflicts and power struggles in the Horn of Africa, factors that have fueled fears of a possible large-scale military escalation within Ethiopia.
The PP was the clear favorite in these elections, in a context of opposition complaints about the increase in repression of civic space and the absence of real competitive conditions at the polls that would allow reversing the political cycle initiated after Abiy's arrival to the position of prime minister in April 2018.