The parliamentary elections in Ethiopia have already been postponed twice.
The military wants to ensure a safe process.
Long queues form in front of the polling stations early in the morning.
Addis Ababa - After months of violence, the parliamentary elections in Ethiopia have started under tightened security measures.
Voters were already lining up in front of polling stations in the capital Addis Ababa at 6:00 a.m. (05:00 CEST).
Military vehicles could be seen at important locations in the capital. Some of the polling stations are said to have opened late. Ethiopian electoral commission chairman Birtukan Mideksa said candidates who were not part of the ruling party had their freedom of movement restricted. The incidents could disrupt the election and should stop immediately. In three regions, the work of election observers is said to have been made more difficult.
The Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Abiy Ahmed, who has been in office since 2018, hopes to be confirmed in office. There are no serious opponents: The largest opposition parties want to boycott the polls after party members are said to have been harassed, attacked and in some cases killed. According to official figures, 37.4 million people have registered to vote in the country with a population of more than 110 million. First results are expected after a week.
The parliamentary elections, which have already been postponed twice, are overshadowed by months of violence, especially in the northern region of Tigray. Abiy Ahmed started a military offensive there in November against the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). The government is repeatedly accused of using violence and rape against the population in Tigray. According to the UN, hundreds of thousands of people in Tigray are at risk of starvation. dpa
