EU
Monitors Criticize Ethiopian Elections
BBC News, May 26, 2005
According to BBC News, European Union election
observers have criticized Ethiopia’s National Elections
Board for the fact that all of the votes have not been counted
and reported more than ten days after national parliamentary
elections were held. The Board is currently investigating
claims of fraud from both the ruling and opposition parties
lodged in more than 200 precincts.
The opposition
parties held just twelve seats out of the outgoing 547-seat
parliament and although opposition parties have won 105 out
of the 270 seats awarded so far, EU observes accused the state
media of bias in their disproportionate broadcasting of positive
results for the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary
Democratic Front (EPRDF). The observers added that “They
also risk increasing the scope for manipulation and consequently
putting in doubt public confidence in the process…”
The EPRDF has won 165 seats of the total seats awarded and
is widely expected to remain in power despite losing seats
in the capital city of Addis Ababa.
|
