Ethiopia held a general election on June 1, 2026, that resulted in a decisive victory for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Prosperity Party, securing his continuation in office. The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia reported that the party won 410 of 547 parliamentary seats, a majority that constitutionally reappoints Abiy as prime minister.
Abiy Ahmed has led Ethiopia since April 2018. His party’s landslide win extends his tenure, though the election was marred by disruptions. Voting was suspended in parts of Oromia and Amhara regions due to security concerns, and the Tigray region was entirely excluded from the ballot.
No candidate named Alesa Mengesha appeared on any official candidate lists or in election coverage from authoritative sources. The name is absent from NEBE records, Reuters reports, and other major news outlets covering the election. Given Abiy’s clear victory, the scenario of Mengesha becoming prime minister is not supported by available evidence.
The electoral board continues to finalize results in the disrupted areas. Once all parliamentary seats are declared, the new chamber will convene and formally reappoint Abiy Ahmed. The next milestone is the completion of these pending results.
