Polls Open for Ethiopia’s 7th General Election

(MENAFN) Polling stations swung open across Ethiopia on Monday as tens of millions of citizens began casting their ballots in the country's seventh general election — a single-day vote that will determine the composition of the national parliament and regional legislatures.

The National Election Board of Ethiopia confirmed that more than 54 million citizens have registered to participate, with voters deciding representation in the House of Peoples' Representatives — the lower chamber of parliament — as well as seats across regional councils nationwide.

The contest is the most crowded in the nation's electoral history, with upward of 10,000 candidates drawn from 42 registered political parties, alongside a number of independent contenders, all vying for legislative seats at both the federal and regional levels.

Under Ethiopia's constitutional framework, the party or coalition securing a parliamentary majority earns the right to form the government and install the prime minister — making the outcome a direct determinant of who leads Africa's second-most populous nation.

All non-essential workplaces have been shuttered for the duration of polling to maximize voter turnout. Official results are not expected to be declared until approximately ten days after voting concludes.

MENAFN01062026000045017169ID1111193259