Ethiopia Revokes TPLF’s Legal Status Over Registration Breach
Ethiopia’s National Election Board has stripped the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) of its legal status, citing registration violations.
The move, effective May 5, follows the party’s failure to meet conditions set out under a special electoral framework passed in early 2025.
That framework allowed formerly armed political groups to re-enter politics legally, provided they met key procedural requirements.
The TPLF was granted provisional status in August 2024, after being removed from Ethiopia’s list of terrorist organisations.
To maintain its status, the party was required to hold a general assembly within six months and alert the board 21 days in advance.
Instead, the TPLF rejected the registration framework outright and insisted its legitimacy stems from the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement.
That accord ended a devastating two-year conflict in northern Ethiopia, restoring relative calm between the federal government and Tigrayan forces.
On May 5, the TPLF reiterated its stance, saying it never accepted the provisional framework imposed by the electoral board.
The board dismissed the argument, asserting that the peace deal cannot supersede the country’s electoral laws.
Once a dominant political force, the TPLF now faces growing internal turmoil amid a sharp decline in its national influence.
Recently, the party expelled several senior leaders, including Getachew Reda, who governed Tigray as head of a federal interim administration.
This year also marks the TPLF’s 50th anniversary, a milestone overshadowed by legal uncertainty and political discord.
The NEBE’s decision signals a new phase in Ethiopia’s post-conflict political landscape, where compliance now trumps legacy.
It remains unclear whether the TPLF will challenge the ruling or seek re-registration under the same legal provisions.