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ETHIOPIANS TO VOTE UNDER THE SHADOW OF A FOREGONE OUTCOME

May 31 , 2026.

The international presence at Monday’s polls marks a historic low. The European Union, whose monitoring missions historically shaped global perspectives on Ethiopian politics, has deployed no observers. The current footprint is strictly limited to regional bodies, including the African Union, which has sent a short-term delegation, and IGAD, which has deployed 26 regional experts. NEBE officials have downplayed the absence of Western missions, publicly stating that the quality, independence, and meaning of observation findings outweigh dependence on raw numbers alone.


PUBLISHED ON May 31,2026 [ VOL 27 , NO 1361]

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