Ethiopia Sets June 1, 2026 as Date for 7th General Election

The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) officially announced that the country's 7th General Election will be held on June 1, 2026. The election will determine the composition of the House of Peoples' Representatives and all Regional State Councils across the country.

NEBE Chairperson Birtukan Midekssa made the announcement at a press conference in Addis Ababa, stating that the board had completed the initial planning phase and was on track to conduct a credible and transparent election.

Election timeline overview:

• January–February 2026: Candidate nomination and screening period
• February–March 2026: Official candidate registration
• March 7 – April 8, 2026: National voter registration campaign
• April–May 2026: Campaigning period
• June 1, 2026: Election Day

The 7th General Election will be contested by 47 registered political parties alongside independent candidates. NEBE confirmed that the election framework has been reviewed and updated to incorporate lessons learned from the 2021 election cycle.

This election marks five years since the 6th General Election of June 2021 and is being closely watched by regional and international stakeholders as a test of Ethiopia's ongoing democratic development.

The NEBE reiterated its commitment to conducting the election in all regions of the country, subject to prevailing security conditions, and called on all political parties and citizens to participate peacefully in the democratic process.