Meles claims election victory despite EU, US concerns
Tens of thousands of Ethiopians gathered in the capital Addis Ababa on Tuesday to hear Prime Minister Meles Zenawi declare victory in Sunday's legislative elections. The national electoral body's preliminary results showed a landslide win for the ruling coalition in all regions, though the national opposition and international observers have complained of voter intimidation and a lack of political freedom.
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Correspondent Virginie Gomez in Addis Ababa
At the latest count, Meles' EPRDF party had won 499 seats out of 536 constituencies whose results were known by Tuesday, according to electoral commission chief Merga Bekana.
Ethiopia's main opposition coalition Medrek took just one seat, in Addis Ababa, Merga said.
Speaking from behind bullet-proof glass and heavily guarded by security men, Prime Minister Meles told supporters of his EPRDF coalition that his government had plans to improve as it enters a new term.
"We admit that we made mistakes in the past, but we realise the heavy responsibility that we have on our shoulders," Meles told the cheering crowd.
"I give you my word that we will start work from tomorrow to continue the good work and rectify the shortcomings," he said.
Medrek has accused the government of rigging Sunday's vote, complaining that their observers were prevented from monitoring polling stations.
Meles dismissed the claims and told supporters that the opposition had deliberately delayed its observers' arrival at their posts in order to undermine the credibility of the results.
Opposition parties "must accept the decision of our great and proud people and
not become tools of external forces that don't have the right to act as the ultimate judges of our elections," Meles said.
The elections have faced criticism from both the European Union and the United States, where the country's top diplomat for Africa, Johnnie Carson, said the polls were "not up to international standards".
The EU's observation mission concluded that Ethiopia's electoral commission had conducted the vote in "an efficient and competent manner, but failed to dispel opposition parties' lack of trust in its independence," according to chief observer Thijs Berman.
"The electoral process fell short of certain international committments, notably regarding the lack of a level playing field for all contesting parties and the transparency of the process," Berman told a press conference on Tuesday.
He pointed notably to the use of state resources for ruling party campaign activities, which he said EU observers had witnessed in more than one instance.
The mission therefore considers that "the playing field for the 2010 elections was not sufficiently balanced, leaning in favour of the ruling party in many areas," Berman said.
Meanwhile Human Rights Watch accuses the Ethiopian government of intimidating voters and imposing unlawful restrictions on the media ahead of the elections.
At Tuesday's rally, government supporters objected to what they described as interference by the US-based group.
"Human Rights Watch, keep your hands off the ballot box!" read one placard, while a master of ceremonies accused the organisation of attempting to destabilise the country.
Medrek says it will aim to challenge the election results via the electoral commission, and if necessary, the courts.
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