# 1995 Ethiopian general election

General elections were held in Ethiopia on 7 and 18 May 1995 for seats in its Council of People's Representatives; elections in the Afar, Somali, and Harari Regions were delayed until 28 June to assign experienced personnel who could solve possible conflicts and irregularities. This was the first regular multi-party election in Ethiopian history, and the first election since the adoption of a permanent constitution the previous December. Several opposition parties boycotted the election, including the All-Amhara People's Organization, Council of Alternative Forces for Peace and Democracy in Ethiopia, and Ethiopian Democratic Unity Party.

## Background

After President Mengistu Haile Mariam fled the country, a national conference in July 1991 led to the creation of the Transitional Government of Ethiopia (TGE). The TGE's main goal was to establish a Constitution for a federal republic, as well as create orderly elections for the legislative arm of that republic. On 5 January 1995, the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) set the date for the general elections which would mark the end of the transition, for May of that year.
Observers considered it a foregone conclusion that the majority of the 547 seats in the House of People's Representatives would be won by the ruling coalition known as the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), which had assumed power after overthrowing President Mengistu and had been the dominant force in the TGE. Primary opposition came from the small Ethiopian National Democratic Party, led by Nebiyu Samuel. Four of the seven national parties boycotted the poll, alleging unequal conditions for the various contending groups. Despite this, one source states as many as 2871 candidates competed for seats, although the NEBE reported 2741 candidates competed, consisting of 1881 people from 58 political organizations, mostly components of the EPRDF, and 960 independent candidates.
To handle the millions of citizens who came to cast their votes, 40,000 polling stations were opened. In addition to local observers Britain, the United States, Italy, France, Sweden, Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands, Spain, Canada, Finland, Norway, and Russia provided observers and the Organization of African Unity deployed 81 observers. The election process was reported to be peaceful with a high turnout in most polling stations throughout the country. Despite this impression of civil behavior, candidates of the Silte People's Democratic Unity Party were harassed, beaten, and prohibited from travelling; Dr. Asrat Woldeyes, secretary-general of the All-Amhara People's Organization, was arrested, convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment for being at a meeting at which armed activities against the TGE were allegedly discussed; and officials of the Ethiopian Democratic Unity Party were arrested in Gondar and Bahir Dar.

## Results

The EPRDF and its allies won 471 of the 547 seats in the Council, with other parties and independents taking the remaining 75 seats. Most of these seats won by other parties were in "frontier regions" – Afar, Somali, Gambela, Benishagul-Gumuz, and Harar – which were allocated 57 seats. "Competitions in these frontier regions tended to be extremely complicated," notes Lyon, who records such incidents as two brothers who, at one point, offered different candidate lists for the Afar Liberation Front.
| Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Votes | % | Seats |
| | EPRDF and allies | | Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization | 16,429,727 | 82.87 | 176 |
| | EPRDF and allies | | Amhara National Democratic Movement | 16,429,727 | 82.87 | 133 |
| | EPRDF and allies | | Tigray People's Liberation Front | 16,429,727 | 82.87 | 38 |
| | EPRDF and allies | | Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front | 16,429,727 | 82.87 | 21 |
| | EPRDF and allies | | Sidama People's Democratic Organization | 16,429,727 | 82.87 | 19 |
| | EPRDF and allies | | Gamo and Gofa People's Democratic Organization | 16,429,727 | 82.87 | 15 |
| | EPRDF and allies | | Gurage Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Organization | 16,429,727 | 82.87 | 14 |
| | EPRDF and allies | | Wolayta People's Democratic Organization | 16,429,727 | 82.87 | 13 |
| | EPRDF and allies | | Hadiya People's Democratic Organization | 16,429,727 | 82.87 | 9 |
| | EPRDF and allies | | Gideo People's Unity Democratic Movement | 16,429,727 | 82.87 | 7 |
| | EPRDF and allies | | Keficho Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Organization | 16,429,727 | 82.87 | 6 |
| | EPRDF and allies | | Kembata Peoples' Democratic Organization | 16,429,727 | 82.87 | 4 |
| | EPRDF and allies | | Dawro Peoples' Democratic Organization | 16,429,727 | 82.87 | 4 |
| | EPRDF and allies | | Afar Peoples' Democratic Organization | 16,429,727 | 82.87 | 3 |
| | EPRDF and allies | | Alaba Peoples' Democratic Organization | 16,429,727 | 82.87 | 2 |
| | EPRDF and allies | | Gambela People's Liberation Party | 16,429,727 | 82.87 | 2 |
| | EPRDF and allies | | Tembaro Peoples' Democratic Organization | 16,429,727 | 82.87 | 1 |
| | EPRDF and allies | | Bench Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Organization | 16,429,727 | 82.87 | 1 |
| | EPRDF and allies | | Konso Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Organization | 16,429,727 | 82.87 | 1 |
| | EPRDF and allies | | Kore Nationality Unity Democratic Organization | 16,429,727 | 82.87 | 1 |
| | EPRDF and allies | | Yem People's Democratic Front | 16,429,727 | 82.87 | 1 |
| | EPRDF and allies | Total | Total | 16,429,727 | 82.87 | 471 |
| | Ethiopian Somali Democratic League | Ethiopian Somali Democratic League | Ethiopian Somali Democratic League | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 17 |
| | Southern Omo People's Democratic Movement | Southern Omo People's Democratic Movement | Southern Omo People's Democratic Movement | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 7 |
| | Southern Ethiopia People's Democratic Front | Southern Ethiopia People's Democratic Front | Southern Ethiopia People's Democratic Front | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 6 |
| | Benishangul North-Western Ethiopia People's Democratic Unity Party | Benishangul North-Western Ethiopia People's Democratic Unity Party | Benishangul North-Western Ethiopia People's Democratic Unity Party | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 5 |
| | Oromo Liberation United Front | Oromo Liberation United Front | Oromo Liberation United Front | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 4 |
| | Afar Liberation Front | Afar Liberation Front | Afar Liberation Front | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 3 |
| | Derashe Peoples' Democratic Organization | Derashe Peoples' Democratic Organization | Derashe Peoples' Democratic Organization | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 3 |
| | Ogaden National Liberation Front | Ogaden National Liberation Front | Ogaden National Liberation Front | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 3 |
| | Bench, Sheko, Dizi and Meinit People's Democratic Front | Bench, Sheko, Dizi and Meinit People's Democratic Front | Bench, Sheko, Dizi and Meinit People's Democratic Front | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 2 |
| | Dizi Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Organization | Dizi Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Organization | Dizi Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Organization | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 2 |
| | Afar National Liberation Front | Afar National Liberation Front | Afar National Liberation Front | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 1 |
| | Argoba People's Democratic Movement | Argoba People's Democratic Movement | Argoba People's Democratic Movement | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 1 |
| | Burji Peoples' Democratic Organization | Burji Peoples' Democratic Organization | Burji Peoples' Democratic Organization | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 1 |
| | Gambela People's Democratic Unity Party | Gambela People's Democratic Unity Party | Gambela People's Democratic Unity Party | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 1 |
| | Hareri National League | Hareri National League | Hareri National League | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 1 |
| | Kebena Nationality Democratic Organization | Kebena Nationality Democratic Organization | Kebena Nationality Democratic Organization | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 1 |
| | Mareko Peoples' Democratic Organization | Mareko Peoples' Democratic Organization | Mareko Peoples' Democratic Organization | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 1 |
| | National Democratic Party | National Democratic Party | National Democratic Party | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 1 |
| | Silte People's Democratic Unity Party | Silte People's Democratic Unity Party | Silte People's Democratic Unity Party | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 1 |
| | Western Somali Democratic Party | Western Somali Democratic Party | Western Somali Democratic Party | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 1 |
| | Zeisei Peoples' Democratic Organization | Zeisei Peoples' Democratic Organization | Zeisei Peoples' Democratic Organization | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 1 |
| | Other parties | Other parties | Other parties | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 2 |
| | Independents | Independents | Independents | 3,396,563 | 17.13 | 10 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 19,826,290 | 100.00 | 546 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 19,826,290 | 99.20 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 159,889 | 0.80 | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 19,986,179 | 100.00 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 21,337,379 | 93.67 | |
| Source: Nohlen et al. |||||||