Amhara ruling party backs Ethiopia PM’s ‘controversial’ united party plan

Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 03:14 pm

The Amhara Democratic Party, ADP, the governing party in Ethiopia’s Amhara regional state has backed plans by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to reconstruct the ruling coalition into a united national party.
Announcing the decision, a top regional official, Lelaku Alebel Addis wrote on Twitter: “Cognizant that it intertwines Ethiopianism with identity & [because] it is a means to implement a genuine federalism, the Central Committee of Amhara Democratic Party (ADP) decided to join the new multinational party & continue the struggle.”
ADP’s move is seen as a major endorsement for Abiy’s plans which has met opposition from a number of activists and politico-security analysts. Elections are scheduled for next year with the PM stressing that they will hold despite security concerns.

The ruling Ethiopia People Revolutionary Democratic Front, EPRDF, comprises four main parties with five other satellite parties. The four main parties being:

• The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
• The Oromo Democratic Party, ODP.
• The Amhara Democratic Party, ADP.
• The Southern Ethiopian People’s Democratic Movement, SEPDM.