Ethiopian Elections Proceed Without Tigray, Critics Allege Suppression and Instability

Polls have opened for Ethiopia's general election, yet significant sections of the populace are unable to participate, particularly the northern region of Tigray, which remains excluded from the ballot. This follows a brutal civil war that concluded in 2022, estimated to have claimed 600,000 lives, pushing the region towards famine conditions. The exclusion of Tigray's six million residents, where the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) has recently reasserted leadership despite government objections, raises concerns about a potential return to wider conflict.

Election Under Scrutiny

This seventh election since the downfall of the military regime in 1991 unfolds against a backdrop of severely strained relations with neighbouring Eritrea and heightened internal insecurity in the Amhara and Oromia regions. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, 2019 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, faces accusations of suppressing dissent, arresting political rivals, and forcing opponents into exile. Media organisations report significant restrictions, with numerous journalists denied accreditation.

Professor Merera Gurdina, an opposition politician from the Oromo Federalist Congress, described their participation as