Ethiopian Parliament Votes to Extend Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's Term in Office

The newly convened Ethiopian House of Peoples' Representatives voted during its opening session to endorse the continuation of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's mandate, potentially extending his tenure to 13 years. This follows the 7th national election held in June, where the ruling Prosperity Party secured 438 out of 501 seats, despite criticisms regarding political pressure and the absence of voting in Tigray and parts of Amhara. In addition to endorsing the Prime Minister, the parliament elected former Finance Minister Ahmed Shide as the Speaker of the House of Peoples' Representatives, replacing Tagesse Chafo. Concurrently, the House of Federation appointed former Minister of Labor and Skills Muferiat Kamil as its Speaker. In his address to lawmakers, Abiy emphasized Ethiopia's vital geopolitical position in the Horn of Africa and Red Sea region, called on armed rebel groups including TPLF and Fano to embrace peace, and signaled upcoming constitutional amendments based on national dialogue recommendations.