Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has lauded the huge voter turnout witnessed since dawn on Monday upon the opening of polling stations across the country for the 7th Parliamentary and Regional Councils elections.

Speaking to the press after casting his ballot at Bashasha constituency, in Jimma zone of the Oromia Regional State, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, PhD., reflected on what today's vote means for the wider region.

The Horn of Africa, he told international press, is a part of the continent where the practice of electoral democracy remains a challenging achievement.Democratic culture in the region, he noted, is comparatively less developed than in other parts of Africa, with few countries in the immediate neighborhood having established sustained electoral traditions.

The prime minister, who came to power in 2018 following a popular uprising and immediately implemented a spate of political and economic reforms, pointed to the scale of voter turnout across Ethiopia today as instructive.

He urged candidates to meet the expectations of the Ethiopian people who had come out in such numbers to participate.

More than 54 million Ethiopians have been registered marking a benchmark moment and a record not only for Ethiopian electoral history, but the wider continent.

Ethiopia’s electoral process involves over 42 political parties and 10,438 candidates, as well as 80 independents, competing across 52,000 polling stations—an impressive logistical feat that underscores the nation’s commitment to democratic participation.

The media coverage, with 68 accredited outlets, including 12 international broadcasters, ensures that the world is well-informed about Ethiopia’s genuine efforts to hold credible elections.