Ethiopia's ruling party is seeking to consolidate its grip on power amid a fragmented electorate.
Millions of Ethiopians are heading to the polls for the June 1 general election.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's ruling party, which has consolidated power since taking office in 2018, says it is confident of victory.
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Abiy's government has faced years of turmoil and conflict. Despite this, he presents the vote as the next step on the path to what he calls genuine democracy.
Critics and the opposition, however, argue that is unlikely due to Ethiopia's ethnic and regional divisions. Some opposition parties have been excluded and violence prevents voting in dozens of electoral districts.
So will the vote have any meaning?
Presenter: Mohammed Jamjoom
Guests:
Samuel Getachew – Journalist and commentator specializing in Ethiopian politics and security.
Martin Plaut – Senior Research Fellow at King's College London
Bizuneh Yimenu: Professor of comparative politics at Queen's University Belfast specializing in federalism.
Posted on May 31, 2026
