Addis Ababa, March 27, 2026 (FMC) — The National Election Board of Ethiopia, in collaboration with the Ethiopian News Agency, has launched a national debate platform for political parties, marking a new development in Ethiopia’s electoral process ahead of the seventh general election scheduled for June 1, 2026.
Speaking at the launch, NEBE Chairperson Melatwork Hailu said the platform was developed over several months as part of ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening democratic participation and enhancing the quality of political competition in the country.
She explained that the initiative is intended to enable political parties to present their positions more clearly and effectively within structured time frameworks.
Melatwork further noted that NEBE has undertaken extensive preparatory work, including training sessions and mock debates, to support participating political parties and improve their readiness for the platform.
According to her, the debate brought together competing political parties, as well as civil society representatives and university students, providing a broader space for civic engagement and dialogue.
As the electoral process enters a critical stage, the government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring conditions conducive to free, fair, and credible elections.
In line with this, political parties have already begun presenting their manifestos and engaging in public debates as campaign activities intensify across the country.
A key milestone in the electoral calendar is the nationwide voter registration exercise, which commenced on March 6, 2026, at polling stations across the country. NEBE reported strong early turnout, with millions of citizens registering within the initial weeks.
The Board also indicated that 47 political parties have registered a total of 10,934 candidates for the upcoming election. Of these, 2,198 candidates are contesting seats in the House of People’s Representatives, while 8,736 are running for positions in regional councils.
NEBE stated that the initiative forms part of its broader efforts to make Ethiopia’s seventh general election more inclusive, participatory, and transparent than previous electoral cycles, per ENA.