Ethiopian prime minister’s party gets another big parliamentary majority

# Ethiopian Prime Minister’s PartySecures Another Large Parliamentary Majority

**Source:** Reuters – 23 June 2026

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## 🔑 Key Excerpts

> **“Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed raised tensions with Eritrea by saying landlocked Ethiopia needed access to the sea.”**

– **Seats won:** **438** (≈ 90 % of the seats where results were announced)
– **Majority needed:** **274** seats
– **Seats not contested:**
– Entire **Tigray** region (no voting)
– **8 of 138** constituencies in the **Amhara** region (security‑related)
– **Total seats in the lower house:** **547**
– **Registered voters:** **> 50 million**

> **“The Prosperity Party replaced an often unwieldy multi‑party coalition that governed Ethiopia for more than a quarter‑century and has helped Abiy, 49, to consolidate his grip on national politics even as he has faced violent opposition in some of the country’s largest regions.”**

– **Economic forecast:** Ethiopia expected to post **> 10 % growth in 2026**, one of the fastest rates on the continent.
– **Party background:** Formed in 2019 by Abiy Ahmed after the 2018 appointment as Prime Minister following mass protests against the EPRDF coalition.

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## 📄 Summary

– **Election outcome:** The Prosperity Party, led by Prime Minister **Abiy Ahmed**, captured a decisive parliamentary majority (438 seats), comfortably surpassing the 274‑seat threshold required for governance.

– **Context of the vote:**
– Voting was **not held** in the **Tigray** region—still recovering from a two‑year civil war—and in several **Amhara** districts due to ongoing insurgencies.
– The **Oromo Liberation Army** (Oromiya) and the **Fano** militia (Amhara) have been responsible for significant violence, limiting electoral participation.

– **Political landscape:**
– The Prosperity Party succeeded the **EPRDF** coalition, which ruled for over 25 years.
– Abiy’s consolidation of power continues despite **armed opposition** in multiple regions and **accusations** that the government undermines opposition parties through arrests and legal restrictions (claims the government denies).

– **Economic outlook:**
– Officials project **Ethiopia’s GDP to exceed 10 % growth in 2026**, positioning the country among Africa’s fastest‑growing economies.
– The party’s platform emphasizes **food security** and **strong economic growth** as key achievements.

– **Media environment:**
– **Reuters** has been unable to report from inside Ethiopia since **mid‑February 2026**, after the Ethiopian Media Authority revoked the accreditation of its three Addis Ababa journalists.

– **Implications:**
– The landslide victory reinforces **Abiy Ahmed’s political dominance** and provides a mandate for continuing his policy agenda, especially regarding economic reforms and security operations.
– However, persistent **insurgencies**, **restrictions on media freedom**, and **political opposition** raise questions about the sustainability of this consolidation.

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## 📚 Related Stories

– **Tigray crisis:** *Ethiopia PM Abiy insists military operation is limited* – [link]
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– **Gold exports surge:** *Ethiopia Gold exports surge after crackdown on smuggling* – [link]
– **Journalist charged:** *Ethiopian journalist charged under new disinformation law* – [link]

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*All key facts, figures, and quotations from the original article are preserved while the summary is condensed for easy scanning.*

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