Over 10,900 Candidates Register for the 7th General Election

NEBE confirmed that 47 political parties fielded 10,934 candidates for the 7th General Election, including 2,098 for the House of Peoples' Representatives.

March 10, 2026

The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) announced that a total of 10,934 candidates from 47 political parties, plus 73 independent candidates, have officially registered to compete in the 7th General Election on June 1, 2026.

This represents one of the largest fields of candidates in Ethiopia's electoral history, reflecting the increased political activity ahead of the vote.

Candidate breakdown:

Category	Number of Candidates
House of Peoples' Representatives	2,098
Regional State Councils	8,736
Independent candidates (total)	73
Total (party + independent)	11,007

Among the 47 participating political parties, the ruling Prosperity Party (PP) fielded candidates in all constituencies. Several regional and national opposition parties also registered candidates, though some prominent opposition coalitions expressed reservations about the fairness of the electoral environment.

NEBE announced that all submitted nominations underwent a screening process to verify that candidates met the constitutional and legal requirements for candidacy, including age, citizenship, and freedom from legal disqualification.

Women's participation among registered candidates reached approximately 30%, the highest proportion recorded in any Ethiopian general election to date, a result NEBE attributed to targeted outreach and gender parity incentives introduced in the updated electoral framework.