Angela Merkel welcomes Abiy Ahmed Ali to the "Compact with Africa" conference in Berlin, October 30, 2018. Bernd von Jutrczenka/Press Association. All rights reserved.
In his latest article, René Lefort argues that the reformism of Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, is bound to fail and that the only way out is through a return to the hegemonic rule of the past, provided that it corrects some of its glaring mistakes. Lefort seems to have a low opinion of Abiy’s political acumen and ability. He finds that his reforms are “not well thought through,” that his haste to sign a peace agreement with Eritrea was reckless, and that Abiy seeks reform without having the support of the Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), and especially of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). Instead, Abiy prefers to rely “on personal charisma and personal popularity”. According to Lefort, Abiy has begun to realise his own limitations. He says that is why, in the last Congress of the party, Abiy was seen “backtracking” toward a position more sympathetic to ethnic parties.
Only time will tell whether Abiy is an able politician and leader or not. However, what we can say for sure is that the accusation that he attempted to sideline the EPRDF, preferring to rely on his charisma and popularity, is mistaken. If anything, one position that Abiy has firmly and consistently held since the beginning of his premiership is his flat rejection of the demand for the formation of a government of transition that would include representatives of opposition political parties. He urged all opposition political parties to prepare themselves for the next election rather than to call for a government of transition. Yet, the demand of opposition leaders had some justification, as they doubted that serious reforms could be undertaken by a coalition of parties that has proven to be undemocratic and self-serving for the past 25 years. Despite Lefort’s assertion, what many observers saw as problematic was not Abiy’s attempt to bypass the EPRDF, but his conviction that he could effect deep changes while using the structure and cadres of the party.
