Ethiopia’s electoral commission has announced the suspension of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the former ruling party of the Tigray region, for failing to adhere to a political agreement signed following the devastating two-year Tigray war.
The TPLF, previously designated as a terrorist organisation during the 2020-2022 conflict, regained legal status as a political party after hostilities ended.
However, under the terms of a 2024 agreement, the party was required to elect new leadership by February 10.
The National Election Board of Ethiopia stated on X that the TPLF had failed to comply, constituting a “clear violation” of the accord. Consequently, the party has been barred from engaging in political activities for three months.
The electoral board warned that its registration will be permanently revoked if the TPLF does not rectify the issue within this period. Efforts to obtain a response from senior TPLF figure Getachew Reda were unsuccessful.
The TPLF was the dominant force in Ethiopia’s government for nearly 30 years until Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, a non-Tigrayan, assumed power in 2018. His rise led to escalating tensions, which erupted into a brutal war in 2020.
The conflict fought between Ethiopian government forces and Tigrayan fighters, claimed an estimated 600,000 lives.
Since the war’s conclusion, divisions within the TPLF have deepened, particularly between Getachew Reda, who was appointed by the government to lead a post-war interim administration, and the party’s long-standing leader, Debretsion Gebremichael.
The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), a conflict-monitoring organisation, recently cautioned that these internal tensions could spark further violence in the region.
