This archive report was first published on 21 June 2021.
On June 21, 2021, Ethiopians voted in a delayed national election, with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed facing voters for the first time since coming to power in 2018.
Abiy, a Nobel Peace laureate, has promised this election will be Ethiopia's most competitive in history, free of the repression that marred previous ballots.
However, the specter of famine caused by the ongoing fighting in Tigray, and the failure to stage elections on schedule in one-fifth of constituencies, cast that promise into doubt.
Despite the challenges, voters turned out in large numbers, with many expressing hope for the future of their country.
President Sahle-Work Zewde told AFP she was impressed by the turnout and believed the vote would 'bring all Ethiopians together' despite their challenges.
Abiy's ruling Prosperity Party is the firm favourite to win a majority and form the next government, tasked with bringing peace to Tigray and rebuilding an economy hammered by the coronavirus pandemic.
