Ethiopia Forms New Government: Abiy Re-Elected PM

By Staff, Agencies

Ethiopia's House of Peoples' Representatives convened Monday to inaugurate the country's new federal administration, formally swearing in Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for a second five-year term as the chamber opened its seventh legislative session.

The swearing-in marked the final constitutional step following the June 1 national election, in which Abiy's Prosperity Party secured 438 of the 486 contested parliamentary seats, giving it the majority required to form the federal executive. Newly elected lawmakers were also sworn into office.

In his address, Abiy outlined his government's priorities for the next five years, including safeguarding national security and stability, sustaining socioeconomic progress, and advancing the country's reform program.

Under Ethiopia's constitution, the party or coalition holding a parliamentary majority forms and leads the federal executive.

The transition follows the recent formation of regional governments across the country.

Meanwhile, the political transition comes amid a major escalation in Tigray, where pro-government forces have retaken Mekelle, the regional capital, after the Tigray People's Liberation Front [TPLF]-led opposition alliance withdrew on October 5.

The Tigray Peace Forces, a pro-government militia, said its fighters had entered Mekelle, while a source close to the group told Reuters that its forces reached the city center on Saturday, followed by the Ethiopian military.

A humanitarian source and a resident also confirmed that government forces and their allies had taken control of the city.

The TPLF said it had withdrawn from Mekelle and that the regional government would temporarily operate from another location.

The move follows a major offensive launched by the TPLF-led alliance against Ethiopian federal forces on September 23, prompting a rapid government counteroffensive.

The latest fighting is the most serious escalation since Ethiopia's 2020–2022 civil war, with analysts warning that the renewed conflict could widen into a broader regional confrontation.