Ethiopia’s ruling coalition elected Abiy Ahmed as its new chairman

March 27, 2018

Abiy Ahmed elected as chairman of Ethiopia's ruling coalition photo by Horndiplomat

Announcement by state media means that Ahmed is now expected to become Ethiopia’s next prime minister.

Ethiopia’s ruling coalition has elected Abiy Ahmed as its new chairman, according to state media.

The announcement on Tuesday by state broadcaster FANA means that Ahmed is now expected to succeed Hailemariam Desalegn as Ethiopia’s prime minister.

Demeke Mekonnen was elected Deputy Chairperson of EPRDF, the report said.

The chairman of the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) coalition has historically also taken on prime minister duties.

On February 15, Hailemariam announced that he was stepping down as both prime minister and chairman of the EPRDF.

https://twitter.com/Dr_abiy/status/978732973263609858

He said at the time that he would be staying on as prime minister in a caretaker capacity, until the EPRDF named a successor.

The EPRDF is composed of four political parties, mainly divided along ethnic lines: the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM), the Oromo Peoples’ Democratic Organisation (OPDO) and the Southern Ethiopian People’s Democratic Movement (SEPDM).