AFRICAN ELECTIONS DATABASE
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Elections in Ethiopia
 
Political Profile
Political System: Emerging Democracy
President: Girma Wolde-Giorgis [Since 08 October 2001; elected 2001, re-elected 2007]. The President is elected by the House of People’s Representatives for a 6-year term.
Prime Minister: Meles Zenawi (TPLF) [EPRDF] [Since 22 August 1995; designated interim president in 1991 following ouster of previous regime, elected 1995, re-elected 2000 and 2005] The Prime minister is designated by the party in power following legislative elections.
--House of Federation (108 Seats) Members are chosen by regional state councils to serve 5-year terms.
--House of People’s Representatives (547 Seats) Members are elected by direct popular vote in single-member constituencies using the first-past-the-post (simple majority) system; members serve 5-year terms.
Political Situation since 1889
Ethiopia is an ancient country, although it has been taken into account only since 1889 when Menelik II became Emperor and established a strong central authority.
1889-1931 Absolute Monarchy
1931-1936 Traditional Monarchy (In practice, still an absolute monarchy)
1936-1941 Italian Occupation
1941-1955 Traditional Monarchy (In practice, still an absolute monarchy)
1955-1974 Traditional Monarchy
1974-1984 Military Regime
1984-1987 Military Regime & [De-Facto] One Party State (WPE)
1987-1991 One Party State (WPE)
1991-1995 Transitional Government/Multiparty Transition
1995-        Emerging Democracy
2007 Freedom House Rating: Political Rights - 5, Civil Liberties - 5, Status: Partly Free
Next Scheduled Presidential Election: 2013
Next Scheduled House of Federation Election: 2010
Next Scheduled House of People’s Representatives Election: 2010
Political Parties: AAPO - All Amhara People’s Organization, AEUP - All Ethiopia Unity Party, ANDM - Amhara National Democratic Movement, ANDO - Argoba National Democratic Organization, ANDP - Afar National Democratic Party, BGPDUF - Benishangul-Gumuz People's Democratic Unity Front, EDL - Ethiopian Democratic League, EDUP - Ethiopian Democratic Unity Party, ESFDP - Ethiopian Social Democratic Federal Party, GPDM - Gambela People's Democratic Movement, HNL - Harari National League, OFDM - Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement, ONC - Oromo National Congress, OPDO - Oromo People’s Democratic Organization, RE: MDSJ - Rainbow Ethiopia: Movement for Democracy and Social Justice, SEPDC - Southern Ethiopia People’s Democratic Coalition, SEPDM - South Ethiopia People’s Democratic Movement, SMPDUO - Sheko and Mezenger People’s Democratic Unity Organization, SPDP - Somali People’s Democratic Party, TPLF - Tigray People’s Liberation Front, UEDP-Medhin - United Ethiopia Democratic Party-Medhin, WPE - Worker’s Party of Ethiopia (communist).
Coalitions: Coalition for Unity and Democracy [Contested the 2005 House of People’s Representatives Election] Member parties include the All Ethiopia Unity Party (AEUP), Ethiopian Democratic League (EDL), Rainbow Ethiopia: Movement for Democracy and Social Justice (RE: MDSJ), and the United Ethiopia Democratic Party-Medhin (UEDP-Medhin); Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) [Contested the 1994 Constituent Assembly Election and House of People’s Representatives Elections held in 1995, 2000, and 2005] Member parties include the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM), South Ethiopia People’s Democratic Movement (SEPDM), and the Oromo People’s Democratic Organization (OPDO); United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) [Contested the 2005 House of People’s Representatives Election] Member parties include the All Amhara People’s Organization (AAPO), Ethiopian Democratic Unity Party (EDUP), Ethiopian Social Democratic Federal Party (ESDFP), Oromo National Congress (ONC), and the Southern Ethiopia People’s Democratic Coalition (SEPDC).
 
Election Results
 
 
Legislative
--Non Partisan: 1955, 1961, 1965, 1969, 1973
--Single Party: 1987
--Multiparty: 1994, 1995, 2000, 2005
Constitutional Referendum: 1987
Regional State Council: 2000, 2005
 
 
Non Partisan Elections
Political parties were not allowed to function or to take part in elections.

1955 Chamber of Deputies Election

1961 Chamber of Deputies Election

1965 Chamber of Deputies Election

1969 Chamber of Deputies Election

1973 Chamber of Deputies Election

 
01 February 1987 Constitutional Referendum
Main Points: Sole Legal Party

Registered Voters

14,570,011

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

14,035,718 (96.3%)

Results

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

81.00%

"No" Votes

19.00%

 
Single Party Elections
Sole Legal Party: Worker’s Party of Ethiopia (WPE)

14 June 1987 National Assembly Election* (835 Seats)

*Mengistu Haile Mariam was elected President by the National Assembly on 10 September 1987.
 
05 June 1994 Constituent Assembly Election*

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Party/[Coalition]

Number of Seats (547)

Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front [EPRDF]

484

Others

63

*Several opposition political parties boycotted the election.
 
07 May, 18 & 28 June 1995 House of People’s Representatives Election*

Registered Voters

21,337,379

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

20,068,508 (94.1%)

Party/[Coalition]

Number of Seats (548)*

Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front [EPRDF]

483

Independents

08

Others

46

Unconfirmed

11

*Many opposition groups, including the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), boycotted the election.
 
14 May/31 August 2000 House of People's Representatives Election*

Registered Voters

21,834,806

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

19,607,841 (89.8%)

Party/[Coalition]

Number of Seats (547)

Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front [EPRDF]

481

 

Oromo People’s Democratic Organization (OPDO)

  

183

Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM)

146

Southern Ethiopia People’s Democratic Movement (SEPDM)

112

Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF)

40

EPRDF-Affiliated Parties

37

Others

16

Independents

13

*Elections were conducted in the Somali Region on 31 August 2000.
 
15 May/21 August 2005 House of People's Representatives Election

Registered Voters

25,605,851*

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Party/[Coalition]

Number of Seats (547)

Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front [EPRDF]

327

Coalition for Unity and Democracy [CUD]

109

United Ethiopian Democratic Forces [UEDF]

52

Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM)

11

Benishangul-Gumuz People's Democratic Unity Front (BGPDUF)

08

Afar National Democratic Party (ANDP)

08

Gambela People's Democratic Movement (GPDM)

03

Sheko and Mezenger People’s Democratic Unity Organization (SMPDUO)

01

Harari National League (HNL)

01

Somali People’s Democratic Party (SPDP)

23

Argoba National Democratic Organization (ANDO)

01

Independent

01

Vacant

02

*Registered Voter figures exclude the Somali Region. Voter registration in that region took place in July 2005, but figures are not available. Elections were conducted in the Somali Region on 21 August 2005.