Ethiopian Prime Minister meets with opposition parties and promises fair elections

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – Ethiopian Prime Minister met on Tuesday with members of 81 opposition parties to discuss ways to reform the electoral system, his office announced, while promising to open a dominated political arena. by his coalition.

Abiy Ahmed has overthrown national politics since taking office in April by once again welcoming separatist and opposition groups in exile, releasing prisoners and appointing a dissident who was once imprisoned as the head of the electoral committee.

The meeting focused on "highlighting the reforms needed for the upcoming elections to be free and fair, as well as the common responsibilities of all," his office said on Twitter. There was no immediate comment from the opposition groups.

The Abiy EPRDF coalition is in power in Ethiopia – a major ally of the West in an unstable region – since 1991. The group and affiliated parties hold all seats in Parliament.

Last week, he appointed Birtukan Mideksa as head of the council preparing the next national elections, scheduled for 2020.

Birtukan was one of dozens of opposition figures arrested following a violent vote in 2005 – when an opposition coalition opposed the government across the country and then challenged the victory of the opposition. EPRDF.

Security forces opened fire on crowds who took to the streets, accusing the government and the electoral committee of rigging the 2005 vote. Dozens of people have died.

Abiy, the first member of the predominantly Ethiopian group to lead a long-time Tiger-dominated coalition, has vowed to control the powerful security services and has begun consultations to amend an anti-terror law meant to criminalize dissent.

On Tuesday, Parliament also approved the appointment of new members to the census commission, saying that the country was preparing to conduct its first census for 10 years, announced the Ethiopian News Agency, Ethiopian News Agency.

Ethiopia has more than 80 ethnic groups and its political system is organized around regional ethnic groups, making census results potentially controversial.