The Role of Parliament in Consolidating Democracy Under the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) Constitution

Abstract

Institutional Parliamentary System has been in practice   in Ethiopia since the time of imperial Haile Selassie, but it was not powerful until the end of EPRDF. Empirical evidences reveal that Ethiopian parliament system did not adequately consolidate democracy to discharge constitutionally bestowed duties and responsibilities.  The aim of this paper, therefore, was to examine the role of parliament in consolidating democracy under the FDRE Constitution. The study employed qualitative research method.  To organize the qualitative data, secondary sources such as journal articles, legal documents, governmental, books, non-governmental reports, and media outlets were used.  A descriptive data analysis technique was used for data analysis. Accordingly, the study indicated that the Ethiopian parliament highly dominated by executive organ, the safeguard of executive power and its interest rather than the guard of FDRE constitution. The study gave further insight that Ethiopian parliament under the EPRDF government has been formulating various proclamations that violate the basic democratic and human rights of the Ethiopian people. Media, political parties, anti-terrorist, and Civil Society Organization laws were cases in point; among the bottlenecks to exercise democratic and human rights. As a result, the Ethiopian parliament has failed to check whether the executive is acting with the framework of the laws.  The study suggests that having autonomous institutions such as independent judiciary system, election board, human rights commission, and ombudsman as well as empowering the parliament is vital for democracy to flourish.

Keywords: Democracy, Constitution, Parliament

DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/11-9-04

Publication date:May 31^st 2021