A brief look at the history of the Ethiopian parliamentary opposition

The text reviews the historical participation of opposition parties in the Ethiopian Parliament. In 2005, the opposition held 31 percent of parliamentary seats, falling 20 percentage points short of the threshold required to propose topics for debate. Following the disputed 2005 elections, government-commissioned inquiries reported that 193 civilians and six police officers died during the ensuing protests. By 2010, the parliamentary composition had shifted, with only one opposition member, Girma Seifu, serving in the house. The text also notes that the 2019 requirement for 10,000 signatures and the special registration process in 2024 were both enacted into law by Parliament.