Ethiopia’s governing Prosperity Party has won the most seats in the country’s parliamentary election, according to official results, a victory that assures Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed a second five-year term in office.
In a statement posted on Twitter on Saturday, Abiy hailed the June 21 vote as a historically inclusive election.
“Our party is also happy that it has been chosen by the will of the people to administer the country,” he added.
The election marked the first time Abiy faced voters since he was appointed prime minister in 2018 following several years of anti-government protests.
But an opposition boycott, war in the northern region of Tigray, ethnic violence and logistical challenges in some areas overshadowed the poll.
Voting did not take place at all in three of Ethiopia’s 10 regions.
Abiy’s Prosperity Party won 410 seats in the federal parliament out of 436 where elections were held, according to results issued by the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), which said there would be a rerun in 10 constituencies.
The leader of the main opposition Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice party, Birhanu Nega, lost while the opposition parties Ezema and the National Movement of Amhara (NAMA) each won less than 10 seats.The Prosperity Party’s win came as “no surprise”.
