Parliament-public engagement in Ethiopia: a policy briefing

In this policy briefing, Meheret Ayenew makes recommendations about how to deepen public-political engagement in Ethiopia. Rich and peaceful parliament-public engagement is the essence of a healthy democracy. The effectiveness of elected politicians’ interactions with their constituencies is an important aspect of a functioning democracy, the more so in politically fragile states, such as Ethiopia. A true measure of this cardinal principle in democratic governance is the extent to which the genuine needs and concerns of the public are fulfilled by politicians. The frequency of politicians’ interactions with different constituencies and, more importantly, the kind of consideration that is given to public interests and concerns in the policy-or law- making process can be considered tangible proofs of their commitment to uphold public causes. The briefing is based on research undertaken as part of a collaboration between SOAS and the Forum for Social Studies.