Why #AbiyAhmed’s 2026 Vote is a Sham, a Coronation, and a Cruel Joke on the Ethiopian People
1. The election was not national in any meaningful sense. There was no voting in #Tigray, and large parts of #Amhara and #Oromia were affected by conflict and insecurity, excluding millions of Ethiopians from meaningful participation.
2. It was held under war, insurgency, and nationwide repression. This was not a normal election in a peaceful country. It took place in the middle of active conflict, shrinking civic space, and deep political fear.
3. The process was non-competitive by design. In dozens of constituencies, only Prosperity Party candidates were standing. That is not democratic competition; it is structural domination.
4. The real opposition was never allowed to compete freely. Opposition parties could not campaign openly, recruit and mobilize supporters freely, or even secure venues for public meetings. Harassment, arrests, licensing barriers, intimidation, and administrative obstruction shaped the political field long before election day.
4. The ruling party manufactured the appearance of pluralism. In some areas, it left selected constituencies uncontested, not to allow real competition, but to create the impression of a more diverse parliament without risking power.
5. Polling-day procedures were used to hide pre-election coercion. The issue was never whether some polling stations opened smoothly. The real issue was whether Ethiopians were offered a genuinely free, inclusive, and competitive national choice. They were not.
6. Independent media and civic space were systematically narrowed. The government muzzled independent media, harassed critics, and constrained public debate so there could be no meaningful or robust election.
7. Millions were effectively excluded. In more than half of Ethiopia, there were no real conditions for people to participate freely and safely. We are talking about millions and millions of citizens living under insecurity, fear, or outright exclusion.
8. The outcome was predictable from the start. This was never a real contest with uncertainty about the result. It was widely understood, both inside and outside Ethiopia, that Prosperity Party would dominate the outcome.
9. That is why so many observers and Ethiopians alike described it as a coronation. This was not a democratic mandate. It was a sham election staged to manufacture legitimacy for Abiy Ahmed’s authoritarian rule through electoral theatrics.
10. In many respects, it was even worse than the so-called elections under the EPRDF era. At least those were widely understood as authoritarian exercises. This one was carried out under war, territorial exclusion, nationwide repression, and an even narrower political space, while still trying to market itself as democratic progress.
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For more, please refer the following reports among others:
Reuters, June 21, 2026: Prosperity Party won 438 seats; no voting in Tigray; insecurity in Amhara and Oromia continued to shape the election.https://t.co/kn423glFOw
AP, June 21, 2026: Prosperity Party won 438 of 501 seats; 143 polling stations were disrupted by insecurity; Tigray was again excluded; critics said dissent was suppressed and the vote was not free or fair.https://t.co/JqKg6gFll5
CNN, late May 2026: Ethiopia was described as deeply divided, under violent ethnic conflict, speech restrictions, and crackdowns on dissent; observers called the vote a mere coronation.https://t.co/zbEUVMVd6V
Clingendael, May 2026: “Managed elections, unmanaged conflicts” — the elections were unlikely to be free and fair and could legitimize the government’s military-first approach.https://t.co/0jsAxRN0ky
Journal of Democracy, May 2026: the election was described as another sham election, with an “architecture of predetermination.”https://t.co/gTGozXgfJb
Another weekend, another Eritrean excellence.
NETHERLANDS —⚡️Eritrea's Saymon Tesfagergish Amanuel delivered another outstanding performance at the FBK Games in Hengelo, Netherlands, finishing 2nd in the men's 5000m with a time of 13:13.48.
He came within a fraction of a second of victory, finishing just behind Uganda's Kenneth Kiprop after a thrilling sprint to the line. #Eritrea
ETHIOPIA — Trying to solve Ethiopia's problems under PM Abiy Ahmed is like trying to repair an old, tattered cloth. The moment one hole is patched, three new ones appear. Ethnic conflicts, religious tensions, economic hardship, and political instability continue to emerge faster than they can be addressed.
ETHIOPIA — Abiy Ahmed's ruling "Potemkin Party" proudly announced it won 90% of the seats in an election where much of the country never even showed up. #Tigray was out, most of #Amhara was out, and large parts of #Oromia were out, but apparently that still counts as a "national mandate."
At this point, many Ethiopians would find a unicorn grazing in 'Meskel Square' more believable than the claim that this was a "free and fair" election.
The million dollar question is: with this new term, will he rescue #Ethiopia from the violence, economic hardship, and uncertainty that have defined his first eight years, or will he drive the country even deeper into crisis?
Another weekend, another Eritrean excellence.
DULUTH — ⚡️Amanuel Mesel, 35, of #Eritrea captured the 2026 Grandma's Marathon men's title, crossing the finish line in 2 hours 11 minutes, nearly 90 seconds ahead of five-time champion Elisha Barno.
(📷 : Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group)
Candle Vigil Procession yesterday evening in Asmara in solemn remembrance of Martyrs Day. Similar and other various activities held throughout the nation.
ሃገር ኣብ ረዚን ዝኽሪ ሓበን!
What a fantastic performance by Biniam Girmay on Stage 5 of the🇧🇪 Tour!
Finishing 10th against a highly competitive field, Bini once again demonstrated his strength, consistency, & fighting spirit. Another solid ride as he continues to build form and confidence ahead of @LeTour
A 1910 map of #Abyssinia, #Eritrea and #SaudiArabia! There was no nation state called #Ethiopia at a time; let alone a historical ownership of Red Sea coast!
Arsi Massacre Update (East Arsi Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia)🚨
Over 53 Amhara Orthodox Christians have been killed in state-sponsored attacks, with more than 190 missing and approximately 1,875 displaced. Attackers burned homes and a 101-year-old church (Teleta Saint Gabriel Church).
12 Identified Victims:
• Demrew Abera
• Kefalegn Likyelew
• Eshete Damena
• Abebayehu Dagne
• Hailu Nigussie
• Semu Abayneh
• Amare Belayneh
• Tere Desse
• Genene Tilahun
• Murtesa Tilahun
• Nigusu Mandefro
• Bekele Haile-Mikael
These attacks occurred primarily between May 30 and June 1, 2026, in areas including Aseko, Shirka, and Honkolo Wabe woredas. Victims were reportedly targeted in their homes, while fleeing, and at church-related sites, with properties looted and burned by the fascist Abiy Ahmed Ali's genocidal regime.
#AmharaGenocide #EOTCUnderAttack
On the occassion of Eritrean Martyrs' Day, the Chinese Embassy pay its tributes to those who martyred for the cause of Eritrean independence and national liberation. May their spirit live on forever. Eternal glory to the martyrs!
ብምኽንያት መዓልቲ ሰማእታት ኤርትራ፡ ኤምባሲ ቻይና ኣብ ኤርትራ ነቶም ኣብ ምምጻእ ናጽነትን ምውሓስ ሃገራዊ ሓርነትን ኤርትራ ዝተሰውኡ ክብሪ የቕርብ። መንፈሶም ንዘልኣለም ይነብር።
ዘለኣለማዊ ክብሪ ንሰማእታት!
On the occasion of Eritrea's Martyrs' Day, H.E. Biniam Berhe, Chargé d'Affaires of the Embassy of the State of Eritrea to #Ethiopia, #UNECA , #AU, reaffirmed Eritrea's firm commitment to safeguarding its sovereignty & territorial integrity.
In a statement shared on his X account, Mr. Biniam emphasized that Eritreans remain resolute in defending the country's independence & national unity.
"Eritreans have zero tolerance for any attempt to undermine Eritrea's sovereignty and territorial integrity," he stated.
Highlighting the sacrifices made during Eritrea's long struggle for independence, Mr. Biniam noted that every part of the country's land, airspace, &territorial waters was secured through decades of sacrifice & determination.
"Every inch of our land, airspace, & sea was liberated through decades of sacrifice & struggle. Our sovereignty was earned at a great cost & it is not up for debate," he added.
The remarks were made as Eritreans worldwide commemorated Martyrs' Day on June 20, an annual occasion dedicated to honoring those who lost their lives during the country's struggle for independence and in defense of national sovereignty.
@biniamb@shabait@ERIEMBAET@hawelti@IGADPeace@AfricaMediaHub@EUtoAU@_AfricanUnion@ECA_OFFICIAL@IndiaEritrea@UNinEritrea
A 2 minute silence was observed in London to honour the brave men and women who fought served &made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of our nation our freedom & the values we cherish. We remember their courage, honour their sacrifice, and ensure their legacy lives on #Eritrea 🇪🇷
#Eritrea | Martyrs' Day
Every year on June 20, Eritrea commemorates its martyrs.
At the Martyrs' Cemetery in Asmara, the dates engraved on the graves tell their own story. Many were barely in their twenties.
"Independence was certainly not a gift, but a painful and hard-won achievement."
(Fesshazion Petros, foreword to La partita eritrea by Alessandro Pellegatta)