Ethiopia Election Shows Reform Gains but Security Gaps Persist, Observers Say

June 4, 2026

Mintesinot Nigussie

Ethiopia’s 2026 general election delivered significant administrative and technological improvements but was constrained by security-related disruptions in parts of the country, according to a preliminary report released by regional and continental election observers in Addis Ababa.

The assessment was presented on Wednesday during a joint press briefing by the African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Election Observation Mission following the 1 June polls.

The IGAD mission described the vote as part of a broader political transition, shaped by institutional and procedural reforms that introduced new technologies and expanded voter access mechanisms.

The mission said the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) demonstrated strong operational capacity in managing the electoral process, which involved more than 54.05 million registered voters.

Voting was conducted across 501 constituencies, with more than 10,000 candidates competing for seats at federal, regional and city levels.

On election day, observers reported generally orderly and peaceful voting at the 208 polling stations visited. However, security challenges prevented voting in parts of the country, including eight constituencies in the Amhara region and 38 constituencies in Tigray.