Constitutional referendum in Ethiopia in 1987
The constitutional referendum in Ethiopia in 1987 was the first referendum for a constitution in the history of Ethiopia .
The previous constitutions, the Constitution of the Abyssinian Empire of 1931 and the Constitution of the Ethiopian Empire of 1955 , were introduced by Emperor Haile Selassie I without a referendum at the time of the Empire .
After the end of the dictatorial Provisional Military Administrative Council ( DERGUE ), only one party (the Ethiopian Labor Party ) was allowed in the 1987 parliamentary election ; it took place on June 14, 1987 and at the same time elected Mengistu Haile Mariam as President of the People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia . In the same year, on February 1st, a referendum was held that formalized a constitutional amendment with 81% of votes in favor and at least apparently transformed the country into a democracy.
The constitution of the People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia was finally adopted by the people after a referendum on February 1, 1987 and came into force on February 22, 1987.
Result
Of the 14,570,011 registered voters, 14,035,718 officially cast their votes. The voter turnout was 96.3%. Of these, 81% officially voted for the constitution and 19% against. 1 percent of the votes were invalid.
Although this was the first election in Ethiopia history based on universal suffrage, the presence of Labor Party cadres across the country ensured that the constitution would be passed. In the provinces of Tigray and Eritrea, however, the regime held referenda only in urban centers because many of these areas were controlled by the Tigray People's Liberation Front and the Eritrean People's Liberation Front . In other places and regions, such as parts of Wällo and Begemder , the vote only took place under increased security measures.
Individual evidence
- ^ African Elections Database : Elections in Ethiopia , accessed on May 23, 2010 ( English ).
- ^ Edmond J. Keller: The 1987 Constitution . In: Thomas P. Ofcansky and LaVerle Berry (eds.): Country Studies ( English ) 1991.
