Democratic capability is only evident when in power

#416

Friend of Democracy,

Do you know Abiy Ahmed?

He has been the Prime Minister of Ethiopia since April 2018.

In 2018, shortly after taking office, he released political prisoners, allowed exiled opposition groups to return, opened up media restrictions, and made peace with neighbouring Eritrea after decades of hostility.

For his peace agreement with Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea, he even received the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize.

And after that?

His leadership became highly controversial due to the Tigray conflict (2020–2022) — a devastating civil war between the federal government and the Tigray regional authorities. There are also accusations of human rights violations, and there are ongoing ethnic tensions across Ethiopia, plus economic difficulties and inflation.

Ethiopia has become much more politically restrictive in recent years compared to the optimism of 2018.

Obviously, Abiy Ahmed is far less a friend of democracy than he seemed to be.

This is a common pattern, isn‘t it? Friends of freedom and democracy become - when in power - the opposite.

Here is a simple rule:

Whether someone is a friend of democracy, i.e., supports the transfer of power, cannot be verified as long as they are in opposition and therefore fighting for a change in power; it can only be checked with those in power and their willingness to relinquish it.

See you in Democracy,

Johannes Eber