Ethiopian Democratic Party

In October 1999, the Ethiopian Democratic Party (EDP) was registered following "40 weeks of political discussion". In mid-2000, the party held its first congress, electing Admassu Gebeyehu, Hailu Araya and Lidetu Ayalew as Chairman, Vice Chairman, and General Secretary, respectively.

In September 2003, the EDP merged with the Ethiopian Democratic Union, becoming the United Ethiopian Democratic Party.{{cite news|last=Berhane|first=Daniel|title=MUSHE SEMU REPLACES LIDETU AYALEW {{!}}|url=http://danielberhane.com/2011/03/29/mushe-semu-replaces-lidetu-ayalew-edp-leadership-change/|access-date=19 November 2013|newspaper=Daniel Berhane's Blog|date=29 March 2011}} Mengesha Seyoum became the party's honorary chairman, but played little role in the party administration, living in exile, and the post was quietly abolished.

In September 2004, it merged with the Ethiopian Medhin (Salvation) Democratic Party founded by former Foreign Minister Goshu Wolde and became the United Ethiopian Democratic Party – Medhin.{{cite web|title=ALPHABET SOUP|url=http://www.africa.upenn.edu/eue_web/soup_may.htm|access-date=19 November 2013}} In early 2005, it absorbed the short-lived Ethiopian Democratic Action Group of Sophia Yilma, daughter of former Minister of Finance Yilma Deressa.{{cite web|last=Wagle|first=Mary–Jane|title=Sophie Yilma Deressa|url=http://www.ethiopianwomenunleashed.org/profile_detail.php?PId=28|work=Ethiopian Women Unleashed|publisher=HBF Ethiopia|access-date=18 November 2013|archive-date=2 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202234949/http://www.ethiopianwomenunleashed.org/profile_detail.php?PId=28|url-status=dead}} In August 2005, Lidetu Ayalew was elected Party President, Sophia Yilma Vice President, and Mushe Semu Secretary General.

The following is an illustration of the party's mergers and name changes.

{{clade

|label1=Ethiopian Democratic Party (EDP)
(renamed 2007)

|1={{clade|thickness=1

|label1=UEDP – Medhin
(merged 2004)

|1={{clade|thickness=1

|label1=United Ethiopian Democratic Party (UEDP)
(merged 2003)

|1={{clade

|label1=

|1=Ethiopian Democratic Union (EDU)
(1974–2003)

|label2=

|2=Ethiopian Democratic Party (EDP)
(1999–2003)

}}

|2=Ethiopian Medhin Democratic Party (EMDP)
(1993–2004)

}}

|2=Ethiopian Democratic Action Group (EDAG)
(2005)

}}

}}

It agreed to contest the 2005 parliamentary elections as part of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), winning 52 seats. It was one of the few to take their seats in parliament, splitting with the remainder of the coalition.

There were soon inner power struggles within the CUD, however. Former Chairman Hailu Araya had backed the leadership of Berhanu Nega, but was defeated in the Party Congress in August. Lidetu and Mushe were suspended from the CUD Central Council in October, and the party central committee voted to leave the coalition.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20080619090015/http://uedpmedhin.org/excutiveCommetee.html Leaders of UEDP-Medhin]}} (UEDP-Medhin website)

Lidetu was a victim of character assassination and defamation following the 2005 elections by the former CUD leaders. However, the election campaign in 2010 revealed that Lidetu and his party were not behind the unsuccessful unity.[http://www.internal-displacement.org/8025708F004CE90B/(httpDocuments)/D56CFBCC809DDCBEC12576270054DDBF/$file/153_ethiopia___ethnic_federalism_and_its_discontents.pdf "Ethiopia: Ethnic Federalism and its Discontents; Africa Report No. 153 – 4 September 2009"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130719041943/http://www.internal-displacement.org/8025708F004CE90B/(httpDocuments)/D56CFBCC809DDCBEC12576270054DDBF/$file/153_ethiopia___ethnic_federalism_and_its_discontents.pdf |date=19 July 2013 }}, International Crisis Group, p. 10 (accessed 16 November 2009) Despite this vindication, the party did not win any seats in the election, with the opposition overall winning only one seat.

UEDP-Medhin at present uses its original name EDP – Ethiopian Democratic Party.{{cite news|last=Ashenafi|first=Neamin|title=Police crackdown|url=http://www.thereporterethiopia.com/index.php/news-headlines/item/1254-police-crackdown|access-date=18 November 2013|newspaper=The Reporter|date=16 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131121002609/http://thereporterethiopia.com/index.php/news-headlines/item/1254-police-crackdown|archive-date=21 November 2013|url-status=dead}} In March 2011, Mushe Semu became party president, succeeding Lidetu.{{cite web|title=Emotional Farewell as Lidetu Steps Down|url=http://edponline.org/97/emotional-farewell-as-lidetu-steps-down/|work=Ethiopian Democratic Party|publisher=The Reporter|access-date=18 November 2013}}

{{Politics of Ethiopia}}

The EDP is one of the few Ethiopian parties with non-leftist origins, and had ties with the pre-revolutionary establishment.{{cite web|title=Ethiopia: Status of Amhara|url=http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/ins/ethiopia_amharas_93.html#haile|work=Ethiopia Country Report|publisher=Immigration and Naturalization Service Resource Information Center|access-date=18 November 2013|date=6 April 1993}} Correspondingly, it takes strong exception to the "ethnic federalist" and "democratic developmentalist" ideology of the ruling EPRDF.{{cite web|title=Interview with Mushe Semu, President of Ethiopian Democratic Party|url=http://edponline.org/610/interview-with-mushe-semu-president-of-ethiopian-democratic-party-edp/|publisher=Ethiopian Democratic Party|access-date=18 November 2013}}

The EDP is strongly opposed to the policy of Ethnic federalism and the division of Ethiopia on ethnic lines, supporting the restoration of the traditional provinces of Ethiopia within a federalist structure.{{cite web|title=Ethiopian Democratic Party – Ethiopia|url=http://www.africaliberalnetwork.org/standard.aspx?i_PageID=13290|publisher=Africa Liberal Network|access-date=18 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120211105327/http://www.africaliberalnetwork.org/standard.aspx?i_PageID=13290|archive-date=11 February 2012|url-status=dead}} It also supports the establishment of an independent judiciary, the observance of rule of law and human rights, as well as the strengthening of the rights of the federal regions. It rejects ethnic politics and as well as the general left-wing discourse of Ethiopian government.

However, it is supportive of peaceful opposition and opposes armed struggle against the present government, condemning the endorsement of Berhanu Nega for the establishment of an armed resistance (later actualised as the "Ginbot 7 Popular Force") against the EPRDF government.{{cite web|title=Ethiopian Democratic Party (EDP) condemned the Ginbot 7 organization' s support for armed struggle|url=http://aigaforum.com/news/EDP_Condemns_Ginbot7.htm|access-date=18 November 2013}} It was this refusal to support armed struggle that was behind much of the allegations that the EDP was insufficiently opposed to or in collaboration with the EPRDF in the run-up to the 2010 elections.

Opposing the state interventionist policies of the government, the party contends that government policies have weakened the Ethiopian private sector and hampered prospects for long-term growth. It opposes continued state ownership of land and supports the reform to allow for private ownership of land, as well as increasing the property rights of smallholders. It is opposed to the price controls imposed to counter the high rate of inflation, saying that expansionary fiscal policies were to blame, and that punishing lending requirements on the private sector- private banks are required to set aside 27% of their lending for treasury bonds to fund large infrastructure projects- were hampering the economy, a position supported by the IMF, World Bank, and pro-business Ethiopian organisations like the Chamber of commerce and Capital Ethiopia.

• Leul Ras Mengesha Seyoum (1974–1978)

• Ato Admassu Gebeyehu (2000–2005)
• Ato Lidetu Ayalew (2005–2011)
• Ato Mushe Semu (2011–2013)
• Dr. Chane Kebede (2013–2019)
• Ato Adane Tadesse (2019–present)

{{Reflist}}

{{Ethiopia political parties}}

Category:1974 establishments in Ethiopia

Category:2019 disestablishments in Ethiopia

Category:Centrist parties in Africa

Category:Defunct political parties in Ethiopia

Category:Ethiopian Civil War

Category:Ethiopian nationalism

Category:Federalist parties in Ethiopia

Category:Liberal parties in Ethiopia

Category:Nationalist parties in Africa

Category:Political parties disestablished in 2019

Category:Political parties established in 1974

Category:Rebel groups in Ethiopia