According to the National Election Board of Ethiopia, more than 54 million people, out of Ethiopia's estimated 130 million population, are registered to vote, with youth and women forming a significant number of the electorate.

ADDIS ABABA, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Polling stations opened across Ethiopia on Monday morning as millions of voters are set to cast their ballots in the country's seventh general election.

According to the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), more than 54 million people, out of Ethiopia's estimated 130 million population, are registered to vote, with youth and women forming a significant number of the electorate.

HIGH TURNOUT

After about 52,000 polling stations opened nationwide at 6:00 a.m. local time, voters lined up in long queues from early morning in the country's capital of Addis Ababa.

In line with the country's constitution, voters will primarily elect their representatives for the House of Peoples' Representatives (HoPR), the lower chamber of the Ethiopian parliament, as well as members of various regional state councils.

Debele Kebeta, commissioner of the Ethiopian Customs Commission, voted at Woreda 8 Polling Station in Addis Ababa. "The high turnout shows how Ethiopians are committed to shaping the future of their country through the ballot box," he said.

At a polling station in the Alem Bank neighborhood in the outskirts of Addis Ababa, a 23-year-old voter Khalid Bahru was waiting for his turn among a large crowd, marking his first-time participation in an election.

"I came here very motivated, as this is my first experience of voting," Bahru told Xinhua. "Even though I arrived here before 7:00 a.m., there were already countless voters awaiting their turns." The young voter emphasized his commitment to exercising his right "by voting for a party capable of ushering the country to a better future."

The voting process will last for one day, as all workplaces across the country, except essential service providers, are closed on election day to facilitate smooth voting.

42 PARTIES IN RACE

Data from the NEBE showed that a total of 42 political parties are contesting in the general election, fielding more than 10,000 candidates under their banners, while 80 independent contestants are also running to secure seats in the HoPR and regional legislatures.

In Ethiopia, the political party or coalition that secures the majority of seats in the HoPR forms a government and selects the prime minister, who holds the highest executive power in the country.

The ruling Prosperity Party (PP) is widely expected to secure the majority of seats at the HoPR, which will enable it to form a government. The PP won 410 seats out of 484 contested in the HoPR during the 2021 election.

According to local media, out of the total 547 seats in the HoPR, 501 seats are up for grabs during the current general election. Meanwhile, in some constituencies, the election is not carried out due to security reasons.

With some experts highlighting the fragmented nature of oppositions, parties such as the Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice and the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Party have also caught the attention of many voters during the campaigning period.

INT'L OBSERVERS DEPLOYED

International observers, mainly from the African Union (AU) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), have been deployed across different parts of the country to monitor the electoral process.

Led by former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, the 73-member AU Election Observation Mission to Ethiopia is drawn from 37 African countries, including African envoys accredited to the AU, officials of election management bodies, members of civil society organizations, election experts, human rights specialists, gender and media experts, as well as representatives of youth organizations, according to the AU.

The East African bloc, IGAD, has also deployed a 26-member observer mission, led by Uganda's former Vice President Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe.

In Addis Ababa, both missions were seen actively observing election-day procedures, including the opening of polls and voting. They are also expected to inspect the closing, counting and tabulation at polling stations.

Observers are expected to release their respective preliminary statements on their findings and assessment of the conduct of the election a few days after the general election.

Speaking to the media ahead of the election, Kenyatta emphasized the significance of Ethiopia's seventh general election, highlighting that the election carries continental importance.

Emphasizing that the 55-member continental organization's role in election observation extends beyond monitoring polling day activities, the former Kenyan president described the AU's commitment as part of a broader effort to strengthen democratic institutions across Africa through mutual learning and the sharing of experiences among countries across the continent.