| Abstract: | Since 1991, Ethiopia has conducted political elections using plurality electoral
system which is known as ‘first- past-the post’ system. The candidate or the party
which gets the highest number of votes in each electoral district is declared a
winner. In many literatures, the system is considered weak in promoting
representation as most of the votes are discarded. This thesis tried to assess the
impact of plurality electoral system on the representation of various ethnic and
linguistic groups in the political sphere. It tried to answer why the ruling party
repeatedly won national elections, why electoral reform is becoming a measure
issue in newly emerged democracies and democratic countries and it tried to answer
the link between the tendency of hegemony and electoral system. To answer these
questions the research has employed various methods, from exhaustive reading of
various literature up to conducting of interviews and data analysis to evaluate the
impact of plurality system in political representation of diversified society such as
Ethiopia. Finally, the research has concluded the plurality electoral system is not
recommended in a country like Ethiopia where more than 80 ethnic and linguistic
groups are living. In one hand, federalism is introduced to answer one of the
popular questions linked with representation in Ethiopia and in the other hand
implementing political election with exclusionary system i.e. plurality electoral
systems are paradox. This research pointed out that, as the system excludes
minorities from the political landscape, it cannot easily meat the representation of
diversity interests. The finding of this research ascertain that plurality electoral
system favors the incumbent government to win every election, had other electoral
system been employed the outcome would be different. The need to reform the
electoral system is undisputable to enhance representation of heterogeneous society,
for minority representation, for conflict management, for alternative policy and to
regulate the tendency of hegemony. |
