Eritrea is a single-party state. This means that only one political party, the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (ህዝባዊ ግንባር ንደሞክራስን ፍትሕን
الجبهة الشعبية للديمقراطية والعدالة), is legally allowed to exist in the country. Elections only occur to elect representatives for the country's regional assemblies and other posts within the country's districts. There are no national elections in Eritrea.
Other parties
editOnly the People's Front for Democracy and Justice is legally allowed to operate in Eritrea, though other parties exist outside Eritrea or illegally operate inside Eritrea.
Current parties
edit| Party/Group | Abbr. | Leader | Ideology | National Assembly |
Political position |
Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| People's Front for Democracy and Justice ህዝባዊ ግንባር ንደሞክራስን ፍትሕን Hizibawī Ginibari Nidemokirasini Fitiḥini الجبهة الشعبية للديمقراطية والعدالة |
PFDJ ህግንፍ |
Isaias Afewerki | Eritrean nationalism Secularism Left-wing nationalism Socialism |
75 / 150
|
Big tent | Sole legal party | |
| Eritrean Islamic Jihad حركة الجهاد الإسلامي الإريتري Harakat al-Jihad al-Islami al-Eritrea |
EIJ | Shaikh Khalil Mohammed Amer | Islamism Islamic fundamentalism Salafi jihadism |
0 / 150
|
Far-right | Illegal terrorist organisation | |
| Eritrean People's Democratic Front ደሞክራሲያዊ ግንባር ሓድነት ኤርትራ Demokirasīyawī Ginibari Ḥadineti Ēritira الجبهة الديموقراطية الشعبية الإرترية |
EPDF | Tewelde Ghebreselassie | Social democracy | 0 / 150
|
Centre-left | Illegal opposition group | |
| Eritrean National Salvation Front جبهة الإنقاذ الوطني الإريترية |
ENSF | Tuamzghi Teame | Social democracy Secularism |
0 / 150
|
Centre-left | Illegal opposition group | |
| Eritrean Liberation Front ተጋደሎ ሓርነት ኤርትራ Tegadelo Ḥarineti Ēritira جبهة التحرير الإريترية |
ELF | Hussein Kelifah | Eritrean nationalism Social conservatism |
0 / 150
|
Centre-right | Illegal opposition group. Was the main independence movement pre-EPLF | |
Former parties
edit| Name | Native name | Ideology | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eritrean Democratic Working People's Party | hizb alshaeb aleamil aldiymuqratiu al'iirytriu | Marxism | Constituted the core of the ELF |
| Eritrean People's Revolutionary Party | alhizb althawriu alshaebiu al'iirytriu | Marxism | Related to the EPLF |
| Eritrean People's Liberation Front | aljabhat alshaebiat litahrir 'iiritria | Eritrean nationalism Left-wing nationalism Secularism Socialism Self-determination Marxism-Leninism |
Predecessor to the current ruling party |
| Independent Moslem League | alrrabitat al'iislamiat almustaqila | Eritrean-Ethiopian unionism Muslim interests |
Muslim minority party |
| Eritrea for Eritreans Party | Ertra n'ertrawian | Liberalism Secularism |
Anti-unionist pre-independence party |
| Moslem League of the Western Province | alrrabitat al'iislamiat lilmintaqat algharbia | Eritrean-Ethiopian unionism Muslim interests |
Muslim minority party |
| New Eritrea Party | Mahber Hadas Ertra | Eritrean nationalism Pro-Italian trusteeship |
Italian-aligned pro-independence party |