Ethiopia’s ruling party leads poll, one seat away from majority
ADDIS ABABA, May 29, 2005 (Xinhua) — The ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) was taking the lead in the May 15 parliamentary elections with 273 seats it secured, one seat away winning parliamentary majority, according to preliminary election results issued Sunday evening.
The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) said in a statement that the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) and the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF), the country’s two major opposition parties, were in second and third places with 112 and 48 seats respectively.
It said it has received preliminary results of 463 of a total of 524 constituencies, adding that only 61 constituencies did not send election results to the board.
The latest results have shown that the ruling party needs one more to win another five-year term, observers say. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi-led EPRDF has been in power for 14 years since 1991.
The preliminary results are based on vote counting that took place at the 34,000-strong polling stations in the country. The final official results will be released by NEBE after it investigates any complaints made about the vote counting.
NEBE is responsible for the administration, conduct and supervision of all elections in Ethiopia’s federal and state constituencies. It is scheduled to announce the final official results on June 8.
Ethiopians went to poll on May 15 in the country’s two separate elections to elect representatives to the House of People’s Representatives and eight regional councils. Elections in southeastern Somali state will take place in August.
Ethiopia has a two-house parliament: the 110-seat upper House of the Federation and the 547-seat lower House of People’s Representatives.