Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous nation, held its seventh general election in June. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's ruling Prosperity Party secured a commanding parliamentary an 80% majority in the House of Peoples' Representatives. But the vote has not been without controversy. Voting did not take place in the entire Tigray region, and was restricted in parts of Amhara and Oromia due to ongoing security challenges. Critics raised questions about civic space, access for opposition parties, and the scope of international observation. To get Addis Ababa's perspective on all of this, I spoke to Ethiopia's Head of Mission to South Africa, HE Mrs Dessie Alebachew Maru. I began by asking her what these elections meant for democracy in her country

<p>Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous nation, held its seventh general election in June. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's ruling Prosperity Party secured a commanding parliamentary an 80% majority in the House of Peoples' Representatives. But the vote has not been without controversy. Voting did not take place in the entire Tigray region, and was restricted in parts of Amhara and Oromia due to ongoing security challenges. Critics raised questions about civic space, access for opposition parties, and the scope of international observation. To get Addis Ababa's perspective on all of this, I spoke to Ethiopia's Head of Mission to South Africa, HE Mrs Dessie Alebachew Maru. I began by asking her what these elections meant for democracy in her country</p>