Forum for Democratic Dialogue
Medrek (officially the forum for democratic dialogue in Ethiopia , completely in English Ethiopian Federal Democratic Unity Forum ; sometimes also abbreviated as FDD ) is an opposition political coalition in Ethiopia that was founded in 2008.
In the parliamentary elections in Ethiopia in 2010 Medrek won in a constituency in the capital Addis Ababa a single seat in the People's House of Representatives .
founding
The coalition was founded in 2008 by a party alliance, three parties and two politicians:
- Party alliance of the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces led by Merera Gudina and Beyene Petros
- Federalist Oromo Democratic Movement led by Bulcha Demeksa
- Somali Democratic Alliance Forces , and the
- Union of Tigrians for Democracy and Sovereignty (also known as ARENA )
- Negasso Gidada , Member of Parliament, former President
- Siye Abraha , former Minister of Defense.
Medrek supports a liberally and democratically governed Ethiopia and a federal state system. One of its main goals is to raise the Oromo language , which is the most widely spoken language in Ethiopia, to the second official language alongside Amharic .
development
In February 2009, the country's largest opposition party, the Democracy and Justice Unit led by Birtukan Mideksa , joined the Medrek.
In the 2010 election, Medrek comprised eight political parties, including three political parties that were previously members of the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces:
- Oromo People's Congress , led by Merera Gudina
- Ethiopian Social Democratic Party
- Democratic Alliance of the Peoples of South Ethiopia
The coalition is led by Birtukan Medeksa, its chairman is Merera Gudina.
The poor performance of the alliance with only one seat happened from our own point of view due to the lack of transparency in the elections and the seat allocation system. Medrek won 30% of all votes, but received only 0.2% of the seats in parliament, as the seats in the individual constituencies are awarded by majority vote .
In March 2011, Medrek reported that hundreds of her supporters had been arrested.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Xan Rice, "Unease over extent of ruling party's landslide in Ethiopia" , The Guardian , published May 26, 2010 (last accessed June 10, 2010)
- ^ Opposition holds "Forum for Democratic Dialogue in Ethiopia" , in: Sudan Tribune, July 3, 2008
- ↑ Medrek announces Afan Oromo as second Official Language of Ethiopia ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as broken. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Birtukan Mideksa's UDJ joins Medrek (an alliance of OFDM, OPC, ARENA, UEDF & SDF) , Gadaa , February 11, 2009
- ^ Medrek on Democracy, Economy, Federalism, Assab, Education, Health
- ↑ Peter Heinlein: Ethiopia Faces Era Of One-Party Rule , in: Voice of America
- ^ Ethiopia: Government arrests hundreds of opposition supporters , in: Sudan Tribune, March 20, 2011
