RismadarVoice Reporters
June 21, 2026
Ethiopia’s ruling Prosperity Party has secured another parliamentary majority in the country’s latest general elections, paving the way for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to retain power.
The election results confirmed expectations that the Prosperity Party would maintain its dominance, following a campaign focused on economic reforms, food security, and national development.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who came to power in 2018 after widespread protests against the former ruling coalition, established the Prosperity Party in 2019. The party also recorded a landslide victory in the 2021 parliamentary elections.
Abiy, a recipient of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in ending decades of hostility with neighbouring Eritrea, initially gained international recognition for introducing political reforms, releasing political prisoners, and expanding civic freedoms.
However, critics and human rights groups have accused his administration of reversing some of those democratic gains through the detention of journalists and restrictions on civil society activities.
The election took place against the backdrop of ongoing security challenges in parts of the country, including unrest in the Oromia and Amhara regions. Ethiopia is also grappling with the aftermath of the 2020–2022 conflict in the Tigray region, which claimed hundreds of thousands of lives before a peace agreement was reached in 2022.
Voting did not take place in Tigray due to what electoral authorities described as unfavourable conditions in the region.
Despite security concerns, the Ethiopian government projects economic growth of more than 10 per cent in 2026, one of the highest growth rates on the African continent.
Political analysts, however, warn that unresolved tensions in some regions could pose challenges to long-term stability despite the ruling party’s electoral victory.
