The party of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has won an overwhelming majority in the country's general election. According to the National Election Board, the Prosperity Party secured 438 of the 504 parliamentary seats, an outcome that tightens the governing party's already dominant grip on the national legislature.
The Prosperity Party prevailed against a divided opposition in a poll that was overshadowed by conflict and accusations of repression. With such a sweeping result, the opposition parties are left with only limited influence in the new parliament, reinforcing concerns about the lack of meaningful checks on the governing party.
On the basis of the result, the party is set to form the government in October. Abiy Ahmed is expected to remain in office as Prime Minister, continuing to lead the government and the country for another term. His party will retain control of the institutions that shape Ethiopia's major political decisions.
Despite the scale of the victory, the results are not regarded as fully representative. Some regions of the country did not take part in the vote at all, which means significant parts of the electorate had no voice in the outcome. That gap casts a shadow over the legitimacy of the landslide figures announced by the election authorities.
The elections were affected by serious conflict in different parts of Ethiopia. There is still ongoing violence in the northern region of Tigray, and many people remain displaced and are living in very unsafe conditions. As a result, voting was incomplete in several regions, which directly affected the fairness of the process and the level of participation.
International analysts and security experts have expressed their concern over the situation surrounding the vote. They warn that Ethiopia is still facing serious internal division and that the country remains exposed to the risk of renewed conflict, even as the governing party celebrates its commanding electoral mandate.
Reporting from Nairobi, BBC News noted that while the win is undeniably big for Abiy Ahmed, it is also controversial. The contest unfolded against a backdrop of unrest, displacement and incomplete voting, leaving questions about how representative the new parliament will truly be of the whole country.