Ethiopia holds national elections

Ethiopia held national elections on Monday, with the incumbent Prime Minister Ahmed Ali's Ethiopia — Prosperity Party expected to secure a landslide victory. The election is viewed as less competitive than previous ones, with the opposition divided and the ruling party running unopposed in many constituencies. Ahmed Ali, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, faces criticism for increasing authoritarianism. The electoral process is complicated by ongoing conflicts in regions such as Ethiopia — Tigray Region, Ethiopia — Oromia, and Canada — Niagara Region, where Italy — Fano militias and Oromo Liberation Army rebels are active. Despite these challenges, the International Monetary Fund projects significant economic growth for Ethiopia. International observers from the African Union and Intergovernmental Authority on Development are monitoring the polls, but the Ethiopian government declined a proposal from the European Union to send its own observers.