In the face of widespread protests against the government, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn resigned from office on 15 February 2018, becoming the first politician to resign from office in modern Ethiopian history. The day prior, he announced in state television that his resignation is "vital in the bid to carry out reforms that would lead to sustainable peace and democracy," linked to the 2014–2016 unrest in Oromia Region, in which hundreds were killed by government crackdown in Oromia and Amhara Region between 2015 and 2016.[1]
His resignation letter was submitted and accepted by the ruling party Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and the Southern Ethiopian People's Democratic Movement (SEPDM); the Ethiopian embassy in London also accepted likewise. Hailemariam continued to lead a caretaker government until his successor, Abiy Ahmed, was elected by Parliament on 2 April 2018. Other reasons for Hailemariam’s resignation, beyond the protests, have been suggested by analysts, including his belonging to a small minority group of Wolayta, a lack of support by the ruling party, and a perceived personal weakness.[2]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:2was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Guttry, Andrea de; Post, Harry H. G.; Venturini, Gabriella (1 April 2021). The 1998–2000 Eritrea-Ethiopia War and Its Aftermath in International Legal Perspective: From the 2000 Algiers Agreements to the 2018 Peace Agreement. Springer Nature. ISBN 978-94-6265-439-6.