Afar People's Party Chair Appointed as Minister

In June, the Afar People's Party (APP) secured one seat in the federal parliament, and in October, its chairman, Musa Adem, was appointed as the Minister of Peace. On October 8, the House of Peoples' Representatives unanimously approved Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's cabinet of 22 ministers. The current parliament now includes 48 opposition and independent members, representing the largest opposition contingent since 2005. The text notes that while the 1995 Constitution allows for an opposition, procedural rules were significantly altered in 2005. Under the revised rules, placing an item on the agenda requires a majority vote from members, replacing the previous requirement of support from only 20 members.