Since the new constitution of Ethiopia enacted in 1995, Ethiopia's legal system consisted of federal law with bicameral legislature. [1] The House of People's Representatives (HoPR) is the lower chamber of bicameral legislature of Federal Parliamentary Assembly with 547 seats and the House of Federation with 108 seats, the former vested on executive power of Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, and the latter have authority to interpret federal law and oversees regional and federal decisions.
The Prime Minister, elected by members of HoPR, is an executive power whereas the President serves ceremonial power, only can approve new laws in HoPR. The judicial body of Ethiopia is independent with two structures: the federal and state courts, and the Federal Supreme Court is cession division that can overturn and review the lower courts of both federal and state level. The Ministry of Justice mandates the law enforcement under Article 23 Proclamation 471/2005, overseeing the Federal Police Commission.
The Constitution of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia establishes two house parliament for the federal government; the lower chamber of bicameral legislature is House of People's Representatives (HoPR) with 547 seats, and the upper chamber, the House of Federation (HoPR), has 108 seats. [2] [3] [4] [5] The highest legislative authority vested in the HPR— in comparable to first or lower chamber— served an interest of the federation as whole. The members of HoPR are elected in plural vote in every five years elections. [6] HoPR retained 20 seats for minority group in order to secure their representation. However, they are seen as insignificant than others in the FDRE constitution, only declared them shall be determined by law. [7]
Ethiopia follows parliamentary system wherein the largest political parties representing in HoPR can preside/approve over members of executive Council of Prime Minister and the Prime Minister. [8] [9] In addition, the HoPR also have authority to nominate or candidate the President, who would be accepted by two-third majority of both chambers. [10] The President has minimal or limited power in executive legislature, [11] but can sign new laws from HoPR, [12] whereas the Prime Minister is executive power, similar to presidential systems. [13]
Members of HoPR popularly elected for five-year term known as "first-past-the post" electoral system. [14] [15] [16] The HPR roles are to enact laws on the matters assigned by federal jurisdiction and ratify national policy standard. [17] [18] Another roles including an appointment of federal judges, the ratification of international agreements, and supervision of members of the executive. The upper chamber, the House of Federation, serves representational institution for regional units of "Nations, Nationalities and People's". [19] Each ethnolinguistic groups should have one representative in HOF, [20] and necessarily, the representative would be fractured into extra for each population if population number given to consideration. [21] [22] Members of HOF are elected by state council in each regional state. [3] [23] The HOF vested power to interpret the federal constitution, [24] and rights to decide self-determination of groups [25] ultimately, secession, [26] resolution happened between states, and determines the joint revenue of federal and state units. [27] [28]
The Prime Minister and Council of Ministers are the highest executive power accountable to HoPR which is elected by members of HoPR, and not subject to term limit. [29] The Prime Minister has the following functions: [30] [31] [32]
The Council of Ministers has equivalent authority as Prime Minister, comprising The Prime Minister and its subordinates, the Deputy Prime Minister and Ministers that could be determined by law. The Council of Ministers has the following functions: [33] [34] [35]
The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia consisted of eleven regional states and two chartered cities such as Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa. [36] [37] [38] These regional states have legislative, executive and judicial power over state jurisdiction. With legislative scope, these state have the right to enact and execute state constitutions, which have authority over legislative, executive and judicial branch of state administration. [39]
All member states in the federation comprised a legislative organ called State Council. [40] [41] The State Council has authority over legislation under state jurisdiction, including drafting, and amending state constitution, and provide its members and their modalities in their election. [42] [43] Many states have unicameral house and parliamentary council functioned to enact and decide laws in the constitution, in spite of two second legislative bodies could determine the constitutional issues similar to House of Federation. As constitutional parliamentary body, they are called House of Nationalities. [44]
It is the highest executive organ within the state administration. [45] [46] The state's administration has Chief Administrator, or Regional Administrator as its chief executive officer, and is elected by members of the political coalition of State Council which are a majority. The power vested to form state executive council and nominate member as the Chief Administrator, Deputy Administrator and other heads of various regional bureaus obligated to be confirmed by State Council. In general, the state executive council has the right to enact laws and policies enacted by the State Council or federal legislature, and its structure could be extended through third-level administrative units, such as Zones and woredas. [47] [48]
Judicial legislature totally independent with two court structures: [49] [50] [51] the federal court and the state court, which have both vested in courts. [52] [53] The Constitution guarantees HoPR to oversit the federal judicial authority in Federal Supreme Court, if necessary, they would subordinate federal courts. [54] There are Federal Supreme Court in Addis Ababa and developed recently; the Federal High Court and First Instance Courts are existing in the two chartered city, Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa. [55] [56] The Federal High Courts have established five states, which have ability to integrate within the state or "area designated for its jurisdiction" or if deemed "necessary for efficient rendering of justice". [57] [58]
Each court has civil, criminal and labor division that contain presiding judges along two other judges for each division. [59] The Federal High Court is cession division that completely have overturn or review decision by lower federal court or State Supreme Court containing fundamental errors of law. [60] [61] In addition, the judicial decision in cession division of the Federal High Court during interpreting law associated the Federal and state courts. The Constitution stipulates the federal court control over constitutional or national jurisdiction, i.e. international matters; for example, the Article 3(3) state that the Federal Court Proclamation have judicial power on FDRE constitution or in federal law. [62] Similar stipulation in Article 5 states the involvement of civil jurisdiction over federal government organ is party, their duties and official responsibilities. Article 4 also guarantees similar acts wherein the Federal Courts Proclamation affects in every aspects of national interests, including in economy or foreign relations. [63]
The FDRE Constitution guarantees the President and vice-president appointed by HoPR with recommendation of Prime Minister and other federal judges appointed by HOF, from list of candidates by the Federal Judicial Administration Commission (FJAC). [64] [65] [66] The federal court prohibits any removal of judges until their retirement and violation of disciplinary rules, gross incompetence, or inefficiency, or illness that prevents the judge out of responsibility. The FJAC also authorized these disciplinary rules, appointment and promotion or condition of employment. [67]
The FJAC consists of nine federal judges and three members of HoPR, composed by their sorts: [68]
The FJAC also has the following powers and duties: [69]
The Addis Ababa Charter established kebele (currently there are 200 kebeles). [70] [71] Social Courts used to hearing monetary and property claims by 5,000 ETB. [72] These Courts decisions can be appealed through First-Instance City Courts. [73] [74]
The First Instance and Appellate Court is the cession division in municipal jurisdiction of Addis Ababa. [75] If needed, the Appellate Court decision brought to Federal Supreme Court, who terminate jurisdictional conflicts between federal or municipal levels. [76] The Addis Ababa City Court have civil, criminal and petty offense jurisdiction, whereas the Oromia Region Government similarly implemented municipal court consisting 10,000 people. [77] [78]
The Ministry of Justice has the largest executive power fallen under federal courts. The Article 23 Proclamation 471/2005 detailed about the power of Ministry of Justice: [79]
The Federal Police Commission was established in 1995 under Proclamation No.313/2013, which is accountable for Ministry of Federal Affairs. [80] The Federal Police Commission has a duties and functions: [81]
The Federal Prison Commission also coded in Proclamation No. 365/2003 accountable to the Ministry of Federal Affairs. They have a role of disciplinary actions toward prisoners, providing rehabilitation to ease the prisoner's behavior and conduct. It has a power to most prison facilities. [82] [83] [84]
The politics of Ethiopia are the activities associated with the governance of Ethiopia. The government is structured as a federal parliamentary republic with both a President and Prime Minister. The legislature is multicameral, with a house of representatives and a council. The term politics of Ethiopia mainly relates to the political activities in Ethiopia after the late 20th century when democratization took place in the nation. The current political structure of Ethiopia was formed after the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF) overthrew dictator President Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1991. A general election was held in June 1994 and Ethiopia has maintained a multiparty political environment until today.
The government of Ethiopia is the federal government of Ethiopia. It is structured in a framework of a federal parliamentary republic, whereby the prime minister is the head of government. Executive power is exercised by the government. The prime minister is chosen by the lower chamber of the Federal Parliamentary Assembly. Federal legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament. The judiciary is more or less independent of the executive and the legislature. They are governed under the 1995 Constitution of Ethiopia. There is a bicameral parliament made of the 108-seat House of Federation and the 547-seat House of Peoples' Representatives. The House of Federation has members chosen by the regional councils to serve five-year terms. The House of Peoples' Representatives is elected by direct election, who in turn elect the president for a six-year term.
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, five major self-governing territories, several island possessions, and the federal district of Washington, D.C., where most of the federal government is based.
A decree is a legal proclamation, usually issued by a head of state, judge, royal figure, or other relevant authorities, according to certain procedures. These procedures are usually defined by the constitution, Legislative laws, or customary laws of a government.
The prime minister of Ethiopia is the head of government and chief executive of Ethiopia. Ethiopia is a parliamentary republic with a prime minister as head of the government and the commander-in-chief of the Ethiopian Armed Forces. The prime minister is the most powerful political figure in Ethiopian politics. The official residence of the prime minister is the Menelik Palace in Addis Ababa. The prime minister is elected from the members of the House of Peoples' Representatives and presents a government platform. The prime minister must receive a vote of confidence in the House of Peoples' Representatives to exercise executive power as chief executive. Abiy Ahmed is the third prime minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, serving since April 2018.
Ethiopia is administratively divided into four levels: regions, zones, woredas (districts) and kebele (wards). The country comprises 12 regions and two city administrations under these regions, plenty of zones, woredas and neighbourhood administration: kebeles. In addition to the Twelve federal states within the country, there are two federal-level city administrations in Addis Ababa and Dire Dava.
The Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, also known as the 1995 Constitution of Ethiopia, is the supreme law of Ethiopia. The constitution came into force on 21 August 1995 after it was drawn up by the Constituent Assembly that was elected in June 1994. It was adopted by the Transitional Government of Ethiopia on 8 December 1994 and came into force following the general election held in May–June 1995.
The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) is an autonomous federal government agency which supervises the national elections of Ethiopia. The NEBE was established by Proclamation number 64/1992, and answers to the House of Peoples' Representatives. Melatework Hailu has been the current chairperson of NEBE since 19 December 2023.
The Ministry of Justiceof Ethiopia is the government department that has the authority of federal prosecution and had possessed executive and judicial powers. The ministry was a part of the federal branch of the government, and prosecuted cases that fell within the federal jurisdiction. In 1995, the responsibility for the federal police force and prisons was transferred to the Ministry of Justice after the Ministry of Internal Affairs was abolished. In 2017, it was announced that the Ministry of Justice's affairs would be transitioned into the Federal Attorney General's Office.
Takele Uma Banti is an Ethiopian politician who is currently serving as the CEO of Ethio-Djibouti Railways since 2024. He was the Minister of Mines and Petroleum from 2020 to 2023. He also served as Mayor of Addis Ababa from 2018 to 2020.
The Federal Supreme Court of Ethiopia is the highest court in Ethiopia. It was established by the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia constitution in 1994 and is currently located in Addis Ababa. Article 78 of the Constitution establishes the judiciary and at the top is the FSC. By the Constitution, the Federal Supreme Court has "the power of cassation over any final court decision containing a basic error of law". In 2018, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed appointed Meaza Ashenafi to be the first female president of the Federal Supreme Court. Solomon Areda Waktolla was appointed as Vice President of the Federal Supreme Court. Both were resigned by the Parliament on 17 January 2023, and replaced by Tewodros Mihret and Abeba Embiale as Chief Justice and Deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme Court respectively.
Solomon Areda Waktolla is an Ethiopian lawyer who had served as the Deputy Chief Justice/Vice President of the Federal Supreme Court of Ethiopia from 2018 to 2023. Solomon is a prominent lawyer with 25 years of experience in the practice of law, public administration and policy research who is committed for seeing a free and independent judiciary in Ethiopia. Justice Waktolla served in the Ethiopian Judiciary mainly as a judge for 20 years on different levels of the court in both regional and federal positions. In addition, he has been appointed to the membership of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) at The Hague, Netherlands for a six-year term to serve as an Arbitrator. Justice Solomon Waktolla was appointed on 15 November 2022 by the UN General Assembly as a Half-time Judge of the United Nations Dispute Tribunal for a mandate starting on 1 July 2023 and ending on 30 June 2030. In addition, He has been appointed by the Board of Directors of the African Development Bank as a Judge of the Administrative Tribunal of the African Development Bank, effective from November 2023. Justice Waktolla is an accomplished judge and jurist with many years of legal and judicial work experience at both national and international levels.
The government of Amhara Region is composed of the executive branch, led by the President; the legislative branch, which comprises the Regional Council; and the judicial branch, which is led by the Regional Supreme Court. The Amhara Region alongside almost all other regions are based on a singular ethnicity excluding Chartered Cities, Addis Ababa, and Dire Dawa and the Region Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region.
The judiciary of Ethiopia consists of dual system with parallel court structures: the federal and state courts having independent administration. The FDRE Constitution vested federal authority to the Federal Supreme Court which is cassation division and presides determining and overturning decisions made by the lower federal courts with itself has regular division assigned to review fundamental errors of law. Article 3, 4 and 5 stipulates the governance of federal courts over national and international aspects.
The Ethiopian Federal Police is the law enforcement agency of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Established in 1995, the agency aims with objectives of maintaining or safeguarding the public security, human and democratic rights, and respecting constitutional law.
The Federal Judicial Administration Council (FJAC) is an Ethiopian quasi-judicial body that adjudicates and ensures separation of powers of state and federal courts in the judicial system of Ethiopia. Under Article 55(1) of FDRE Constitution, the FJAC manages federal courts and judges and non-judicial personnels working with federal courts.
Courts in Ethiopia divided into three-level structures: the State Supreme Court, High Courts and the First Instance Courts. State Courts are represented in every regions of Ethiopia and have seat in each capital cities. The FDRE Constitution provides judicial review to the Federal Supreme Court, delegated by State Supreme Court, Federal High Courts and Federal First Instance Courts respectively.
The Federal First Instance Court is the first-level court division in Ethiopia. The FDRE Constitution delegates judicial jurisdiction to the First Instance Court, along with the High Court and State Courts. It is headquartered in Addis Ababa in Kirkos district, with expectations of expanding new branches in all districts of Addis Ababa.
The Federal High Court of Ethiopia is the second-level court division in Ethiopia. The FDRE Constitution delegates judicial jurisdiction to the Federal High Court, along with the First Instance and State Courts. It has its headquarters in Addis Ababa's Lideta district.
The Oromia Supreme Court is the Ethiopian Federal Supreme Court department based in Oromia Region. Under Proclamation No 46/2001, Article 65(1–2), the Supreme Court alongside other regional counterparts should obligated to the Federal and regional government of Ethiopia, and judges can be appointed by the Regional Judicial Commission and the nominees submitted to Regional Council for appointment by the President of the Supreme Court.
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