ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — The Ethiopian National Election Board (NEBE) has officially deregistered the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) as a political party, citing the group’s failure to convene a general assembly and comply with electoral regulations.
This move effectively bars the TPLF from participating in Ethiopia’s political process.
The NEBE had previously suspended the TPLF’s political activities for three months in February 2025, warning that failure to hold a general assembly and elect new leadership would result in deregistration.
Despite this, the TPLF did not meet the stipulated requirements, leading to the current decision.
The TPLF’s internal divisions have further complicated matters, with factions led by Debretsion Gebremichael and Getachew Reda at odds over the party’s direction.
A congress held by Debretsion’s faction in August 2024 was deemed illegitimate by the NEBE, exacerbating the party’s challenges.
In response to the deregistration, the TPLF has rejected the NEBE’s decision, labeling it as lacking legal significance and accusing the federal government of undermining the Pretoria Agreement, which aimed to bring lasting peace to the Tigray region.
