Ethiopias ruling party wins landslide election amid rising conflict fears

Ethiopia’s ruling Prosperity Party, led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, secured a landslide victory in Wednesday’s parliamentary election, according to multiple reports published on Sunday. The outcome consolidates Abiy’s grip on power despite mounting criticism over human rights abuses and escalating fears of renewed conflict across the Horn of Africa nation.

Early results released on 18 June showed the Prosperity Party winning an overwhelming majority, a result confirmed by international and domestic outlets on 21 June. Analysts and observers now warn that the election’s aftermath could deepen political fractures and trigger fresh violence in regions already scarred by years of civil strife.

The vote, marred by insecurity and allegations of irregularities, took place amid a fragile ceasefire in the northern Tigray region and ongoing tensions in Amhara and Oromia. International monitors have yet to release a comprehensive assessment, but domestic observers reported isolated incidents of ballot interference and restricted access in opposition strongholds. The European Union and the African Union have both called for calm and urged all parties to respect the results.

Abiy, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for ending a decades-long border conflict with Eritrea, has faced growing international censure over the government’s military campaigns in Tigray and alleged atrocities committed by security forces. Human rights organisations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have documented widespread abuses, including extrajudicial killings and forced displacements, during the conflict that began in late 2020.

Domestically, the election has deepened polarisation. Opposition groups, including the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and the Oromo Liberation Army, have rejected the legitimacy of the vote, citing systematic exclusion and repression. In Addis Ababa, celebrations erupted outside Prosperity Party headquarters as results were announced, while in regional capitals such as Mekelle and Bahir Dar, protests turned violent, leaving at least three dead and dozens injured.

Political analysts suggest the victory may embolden Abiy to pursue a more assertive agenda, potentially reigniting military offensives or accelerating controversial reforms such as the integration of regional special forces into a unified national army. “The scale of this win gives Abiy a mandate to push through his vision, but it also risks further alienating those who see his government as increasingly authoritarian,” said William Davison, senior Ethiopia analyst at the International Crisis Group.

With Ethiopia’s political landscape now more fractured than at any point since the fall of the Derg regime in 1991, the coming weeks will test whether Abiy’s strengthened position can translate into stability—or whether the country is poised for another cycle of confrontation.