2026 Ethiopia General Elections

2026 Ethiopian Elections are the seventh general elections held in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia on 1 June 2026. Under the federal parliamentary system, elections determined membership of the House of Peoples' Representatives and regional councils. The institution responsible for managing the elections is the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), which oversees one of Africa’s most extensive electoral processes with over 50 million registered voters. The results are expected to be announced by 11 June 2026.

According to data released by NEBE, 47 political parties and more than 10,900 candidates competed in the elections. Of these candidates, 2,198 contested seats in the federal parliament and 8,736 competed for seats in regional and urban councils; 73 independent candidates also participated.

The Prosperity Party is Ethiopia’s ruling political party. Founded in 2019 under the leadership of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, it emerged from the merger of several regional parties that previously formed the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). In the 2021 general elections, the Prosperity Party won 410 of the 484 seats in the House of Peoples’ Representatives, securing a majority. The party embraces national unity economic reform and state-led development policies within the federal system. In the 2026 elections it fielded candidates in nearly all federal and regional constituencies.

A regional political party primarily active in Ethiopia’s Amhara region. Led by Belete Molla, the party participates in constituency-based elections under Ethiopia’s federal electoral system. It aims to advocate for the political representation security and cultural and regional rights of the Amhara population. In the elections it fielded candidates for federal and regional council seats within the Amhara region.

Founded in 2019 EZEMA is a national political party led by Berhanu Nega. Since 2021 the party has participated in elections across the country advocating liberal democratic governance rule of law market-oriented reforms and national unity. In the 2026 elections it fielded candidates for both House of Peoples’ Representatives and regional council seats in multiple federal and regional constituencies.

This coalition is an alliance of smaller regional parties including the Agew National Council the Gamo Democratic Party the Gambella People’s Liberation Movement the Kaffa Green Party and the Tigray Democratic Alliance. The coalition participated in the elections with joint candidate lists while preserving the distinct regional identities of its member parties.

Various regional parties registered with NEBE fielded candidates in federal and regional constituencies particularly in Oromia Somali Tigray and southern regions. These parties generally advocate for regional governance local autonomy and development priorities specific to their constituencies.

A total of 73 independent candidates participated in the elections.

According to NEBE’s registration data over 50 million people registered to vote. Women constitute approximately half of the registered electorate.

Voting rights were extended equally to male and female voters for both federal and regional elections. Women candidates competed for seats at both federal and regional levels.

Voting commenced on 1 June 2026 across electoral districts nationwide. NEBE Chairperson Melatwork Hailu announced that voting was not held at 143 polling stations due to security concerns.

Voting did not take place in the northern Tigray region. NEBE attributed this decision to “unfavorable conditions” and ongoing political instability in the region following the 2020–2022 civil war.

With a population of approximately six million Tigray has now been excluded from national elections for the second consecutive time. Legal disputes regarding the participation of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and delays in institutional restructuring are cited as primary reasons for this exclusion.

In the Amhara region voting could not be conducted in at least eight electoral districts due to activities by the armed group Fano which has expanded its influence in rural areas since 2023. In the Oromia region clashes between government forces and the separatist Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) negatively affected the electoral process.

Uhuru Kenyatta former President of Kenya and Chair of the African Union Election Observation Mission stated that the voting process proceeded smoothly. The elections were observed by the African Union (AU) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) under the international observation mission.

The elections were assessed in a joint statement issued by the diplomatic missions of the European Union Canada Norway and Switzerland. The statement welcomed the seventh general elections held in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia on 1 June 2026.

Abiy Ahmed (age 49) assumed the office of Prime Minister in 2018 following the resignation of his predecessor Hailemariam Desalegn amid mass protests against the long-ruling EPRDF coalition. Abiy Ahmed initiated steps to liberalize Ethiopia’s tightly controlled economy and released journalists activists and political detainees. In the same year he was awarded the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for ending hostilities with neighboring Eritrea.

The Prosperity Party won 410 of the 484 seats in the 2021 elections. Human rights organizations and opposition circles have criticized the government in recent years for practices including the arrest of journalists and the closure of civil society organizations. The government defends these actions as necessary to safeguard national security.