1995 Ethiopian general election

none 1995 Ethiopian general election Ethiopia 7–18 May 1995 1994 2000 All 546 seats in the Council of Representatives 274 OPDO 176 179 ANDM 133 134 Tigray People's Liberation Front 38 37 Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front 21 13 General elections were held in Ethiopia on 7 and 18 May 1995 for seats in its Council of Representatives; elections in the Afar, Somali, and Harari Regions were delayed until 28 June to assign experienced personnel who could solve possible conflicts and irregularities. This was the first regular multi-party election in Ethiopian history, and the first election since the adoption of a permanent constitution the previous December. Several opposition parties boycotted the election,"Monthly Situation Report for Ethiopia: May 1995" UNDP-EUE (accessed 19 January 2009) including the All-Amhara People's Organization, Council of Alternative Forces for Peace and Democracy in Ethiopia, and Ethiopian Democratic Unity Party."Elections in Ethiopia: (f) Election 1995" https://web.archive.org/web/20090408033155/http://www.eprdf.org.et/Eprdffiles/Basicdoc/Basicdocuments_files/Elec_Ethi.htm 2009-04-08 , EPRDF website (accessed 29 May 2009) Background After President Mengistu Haile Mariam fled the country, a national conference in July 1991 led to the creation of the Transitional Government of Ethiopia (TGE). The TGE's main goal was to establish a Constitution for a federal republic, as well as create orderly elections for the legislative arm of that republic. On 5 January 1995, the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) set the date for the general elections which would mark the end of the transition, for May of that year. Observers considered it a foregone conclusion that the majority of the 546 seats in the Council of Representatives would be won by the ruling coalition known as the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), which had assumed power after overthrowing President Mengistu and had been the dominant force in the TGE. Primary opposition came from the small Ethiopian National Democratic Party, led by Nebiyu Samuel. Four of the seven national parties boycotted the poll, alleging unequal conditions for the various contending groups. Despite this, one source states as many as 2871 candidates competed for seats,Ethiopia Parliamentary Chamber: Elections held in 1995, PARLINE database (accessed 20 October 2009) although the NEBE reported 2741 candidates competed, consisting of 1881 people from 58 political organizations, mostly components of the EPRDF, and 960 independent candidates.Terrence Lyons, "Closing the Transition: The May 1995 Elections in Ethiopia", Journal of Modern African Studies, 34 (1996), p. 132 To handle the millions of citizens who came to cast their votes, 40,000 polling stations were opened. In addition to local observers Britain, the United States, Italy, France, Sweden, Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands, Spain, Canada, Finland, Norway, and Russia provided observers and the Organization of African Unity deployed 81 observers. The election process was reported to be peaceful with a high turnout in most polling stations throughout the country. Despite this impression of civil behavior, candidates of the Silte People's Democratic Unity Party were harassed, beaten, and prohibited from travelling; Dr. Asrat Woldeyes, secretary-general of the All-Amhara People's Organization, was arrested, convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment for being at a meeting at which armed activities against the TGE were allegedly discussed; and officials of the Ethiopian Democratic Unity Party were arrested in Gondar and Bahir Dar.Lyons, "Closing the Transition", pp. 134, 136, 139 Results The EPRDF and its allies won 471 of the 546 seats in the Council, with other parties and independents taking the remaining 75 seats.Dieter Nohlen, Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p383 0-19-829645-2 Most of these seats won by other parties were in "frontier regions" – Afar, Somali, Gambela, Benishagul-Gumuz, and Harar – which were allocated 57 seats. "Competitions in these frontier regions tended to be extremely complicated," notes Lyon, who records such incidents as two brothers who, at one point, offered different candidate lists for the Afar Liberation Front.Lyons, "Closing the Transition", p. 138 File:Ethiopia Council of Representatives 1995.svg EPRDF and allies 22 Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization 16429727 21 176 Amhara National Democratic Movement 133 Tigray People's Liberation Front 38 Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front 21 Sidama People's Democratic Organization 19 Gamo and Gofa People's Democratic Organization 15 Gurage Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Organization 14 Wolayta People's Democratic Organization 13 Hadiya People's Democratic Organization 9 Gideo People's Unity Democratic Movement 7 Keficho Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Organization 6 Kembata Peoples' Democratic Organization 4 Dawro Peoples' Democratic Organization 4 Afar Peoples' Democratic Organization 3 Alaba Peoples' Democratic Organization 2 Gambela People's Liberation Party 2 Tembaro Peoples' Democratic Organization 1 Bench Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Organization 1 Konso Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Organization 1 Kore Nationality Unity Democratic Organization 1 Yem People's Democratic Front 1 16429727 471 Ethiopian Somali Democratic League 3396563 23 17 #FAE909 Southern Omo People's Democratic Movement 7 Southern Ethiopia People's Democratic Front 6 Benishangul North-Western Ethiopia People's Democratic Unity Party 5 Oromo Liberation United Front 4 Afar Liberation Front 3 Derashe Peoples' Democratic Organization 3 Ogaden National Liberation Front 3 #008100 Bench, Sheko, Dizi and Meinit People's Democratic Front 2 Dizi Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Organization 2 Afar National Liberation Front 1 Argoba People's Democratic Movement 1 Burji Peoples' Democratic Organization 1 Gambela People's Democratic Unity Party 1 Hareri National League 1 Kebena Nationality Democratic Organization 1 Mareko Peoples' Democratic Organization 1 National Democratic Party 1 Silte People's Democratic Unity Party 1 Western Somali Democratic Party 1 Zeisei Peoples' Democratic Organization 1 Other parties 2 Independents 10 159889 21337379 Nohlen et al. References Ethiopia General election Category:General elections in Ethiopia Category:May 1995 in Ethiopia Category:Election and referendum articles with incomplete results