View source for President of Ethiopia

{{Short description|Head of state of Ethiopia}}
{{For|a list of officeholders|List of presidents of Ethiopia}}
{{more citations needed|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = President
| body = Ethiopia
| native_name = {{Collapsible list
|titlestyle = background:transparent;text-align:center;line-height:normal;font-size:85%;
|title      = Name in national languages
|{{Infobox
| subbox = yes
| bodystyle = font-size:78%;font-weight:normal;
| rowclass1 = mergedrow
| label1    = [[Amharic]]:
| data1     = {{lang|am|የኢትዮጵያ ፕሬዝዳንት}}<br />{{lang|am-Latn|Ye-Ītyōṗṗyā pirēzidanit}}
| rowclass3 = mergedrow
| label3    = [[Oromo language|Oromo]]:
| data3     = {{lang|om|Pireezidaantiin Itiyoophiyaa}}
| rowclass4 = mergedrow
| label4    = [[Somali language|Somali]]:
| data4     = {{lang|so|Madaxweynaha Itoobiya}}
| rowclass5 = mergedrow
| label5    = [[Tigrinya language|Tigrinya]]:
| data5     = {{lang|ti|ፕረዚደንት ኢትዮጵያ}}<br />{{lang|ti-Latn|prezident Ítiyop'iya}}
| rowclass6 = mergedrow
| label6    = [[Afar language|Afar]]:
| data6     = {{lang|aa|Itiyoppiya Pirezdant}}
}}
}}
| insignia = Emblem of Ethiopia.svg
| insigniasize = 
| insigniacaption = Emblem
| insigniaalt = 
| flag = Flag of Ethiopia.svg
| flagsize = 
| flagalt = 
| flagborder = 
| flagcaption = Flag of Ethiopia
| image = Taye Atske Selassie MFA Portrait.jpg
| imagesize = 
| alt = 
| imagecaption = 
| incumbent = [[Taye Atske Selassie]]
| acting = 
| incumbentsince = 7 October 2024
| department = 
| style = [[The Honourable|Honourable President]]<br />(Within Ethiopia)<br /> [[President (government title)|Mr. President]]<br />(Informal)<br />[[Excellency#Ethiopia|His Excellency]] <br />(Diplomatic)
| type = [[Head of State]]
| status = 
| abbreviation = 
| member_of = 
| reports_to = 
| residence = [[National Palace (Ethiopia)|National Palace]], [[Addis Ababa]]
| seat = 
| nominator = 
| appointer = [[Federal Parliamentary Assembly]]
| appointer_qualified = 
| termlength = Six years 
| termlength_qualified = 
| constituting_instrument = [[Constitution of Ethiopia]] (1995)
| precursor = [[Emperor of Ethiopia|The Emperor of Ethiopia]] 
| formation = {{start date and age|df=y|1974|9|15}}<br />{{small|(de facto)}} <br>{{start date and age|df=y|1987|9|10}}<br />{{small|(de jure)}}
| first = [[Negasso Gidada]]<br />([[1995 Constitution of Ethiopia|FDRE]])<br />[[Mengistu Haile Mariam]]<br />([[People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia|PDRE]])<br />[[Aman Andom]]<br /> ([[Provisional Military Government of Socialist Ethiopia|PMGSE]])
| last = 
| abolished = 
| superseded_by = 
| succession = 
| unofficial_names = 
| deputy = ''Abolished'', [[Vice President of Ethiopia]]
| salary = 45,270 USD annually<ref name="africabusinessdaily">{{cite web|url=https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/news/The-highest-and-lowest-paid-African-presidents/539546-4129430-cbmf8iz/index.html|title=The highest and lowest paid African presidents – Business Daily|date=27 December 2020|publisher=Business Daily|access-date=11 November 2019|archive-date=8 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171008052713/https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/news/The-highest-and-lowest-paid-African-presidents/539546-4129430-cbmf8iz/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=May 2022}}
| website = {{URL|https://www.thepresidency.gov.et/eng/|Official website}}
| footnotes = 
}}

The '''president of Ethiopia''' is the [[head of state]] of [[Ethiopia]]. The position is largely ceremonial with executive power vested in the [[Council of Ministers (Ethiopia)|Council of Ministers]] chaired by the [[Prime Minister of Ethiopia|prime minister]]. The current president is [[Taye Atske Selassie]], who took office on 7 October 2024. Presidents are elected by the [[Federal Parliamentary Assembly]] for six years.

{{Politics of Ethiopia}}

==History== 
The role of head of state of Ethiopia had evolved and changed through the political transformation of Ethiopia. The [[emperor of Ethiopia]] was the head of state of Ethiopia prior the 1974 revolution. Following the [[Derg|1974 military coup]] and abolishment of the [[monarchies of Ethiopia]], the role of head of state was fulfilled by the [[Derg|chairman of the Provisional Military Government of Socialist Ethiopia]] as de facto president of Ethiopia.

===Provisional Military Government of Socialist Ethiopia (PMGSE) – (1974–1987)===
The chairman of the [[Derg|Provisional Military Government of Socialist Ethiopia]] was head of state and de facto president of Ethiopia. The first chairman of the Provisional Military Government was [[Aman Andom|Lieutenant General Aman Andom]], who was also [[Chief of General Staff (Ethiopia)|Chief of General Staff of the Ethiopian Armed forces]].

===People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (PDRE) – (1987–1991)===
The presidency was officially created by the [[1987 Constitution of Ethiopia|1987 Constitution]], which established the [[People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia]]. The president was elected to a five-year term by the [[National Shengo]] (legislature), with no term limits. The presidency was the [[Chief executive (gubernatorial)|chief executive]] of Ethiopia. The president was also the chairman of the Council of State, which presided as a legislator during the Shengo off session. The president had a [[Chief executive (gubernatorial)|chief executive]] power to rule by decree if necessary and was also the [[commander-in-chief]] of the [[Ethiopian National Defense Force|Ethiopian Armed Forces]]. The only president under the 1987 Constitution was [[Mengistu Haile-Mariam]] from 1987 to 1991. Following the flight into exile of Mengistu Haile-Mariam, [[Tesfaye Gebre Kidan]] served as the acting president of Ethiopia for only six days.

===Transitional Government of Ethiopia (TGE) – (1991–1995)===
The end of the [[Ethiopian Civil War]] in 28 May 1991 resulted in the end to the [[People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia]] constitution. A new provisional constitution and the [[Transitional Government of Ethiopia]] was formed. The Transitional Government of Ethiopia was a de facto [[semi-presidential system]] with the president as head of state and the prime minister as head of government. During the Transitional Government of Ethiopia, the presidency had [[Chief executive (gubernatorial)|chief executive]] powers, including appointing and dismissing the prime minister and the commander-in-chief of the [[Ethiopian National Defense Force|Ethiopian Armed Forces]]. The only president who served during the Transitional Government of Ethiopia was [[Meles Zenawi]].

===Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) – (1995–present)===
A draft of a new constitution was declared in 1995 as the [[1995 Constitution of Ethiopia|Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia]]. The 1995 Constitution of Ethiopia transformed Ethiopia into a [[parliamentary republic]], which effectively made the presidency a ceremonial and apolitical head of state.

The Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia explicitly vests executive power in the [[Council of Ministers (Ethiopia)|Council of Ministers]] and names the [[Prime Minister of Ethiopia|prime minister]] as [[Chief executive (gubernatorial)|chief executive]] and the de jure [[commander-in-chief]] of the [[Ethiopian National Defense Force|Ethiopian Armed Forces]]. However, the president presides as a ceremonial commander-in-chief of the Ethiopian Armed Forces.

The first president of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia was [[Negasso Gidada]], who served from 1995 to 2001. [[Sahle-Work Zewde]] was the first female president who had served from 2018 to 2024. The current president is [[Taye Atske Selassie]] since 7 October 2024.

==Nominations and appointment of the president==

The [[Federal Parliamentary Assembly]] nominate the candidate for president.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |last=BBC news |first=the new president, Taye Atske Selassie Amde |date=7 October 2024 |title=Ethiopian president |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g401e086no |url-status=dead |website=Bbc.com}}</ref> Presidential tenure is not keyed to that of the Federal Parliamentary Assembly  to assure continuity in government and the nonpartisan character of the office.

The term of office of the president is six years. As of 2021, there are no term limits for the president in the [[Constitution of Ethiopia]].<ref name="termlimits">{{cite web |last1=Cook |first1=Candace |last2=Siegle |first2=Joseph |title=Circumvention of Term Limits Weakens Governance in Africa |url=https://africacenter.org/spotlight/circumvention-of-term-limits-weakens-governance-in-africa/ |website=Africa Center for Strategic Studies}}</ref> Upon election in accordance with the constitution, the president, before commencing his or her responsibility as president, presents himself or herself before the Federal Parliamentary Assembly and makes a declaration of loyalty to the Constitution and the people of Ethiopia in the following words:

"I......., when on this date commence my responsibility as President of the Federal Democratic Republic, of Ethiopia, pledge to carry out faithfully the high responsibility entrusted to me."<ref name="auto"/>

==Powers and duties==
The 1995 Ethiopian Constitution lays out the duties and powers of the president of the republic to include the following:<ref name="auto"/>

# The president opens the joint session of the [[Federal Parliamentary Assembly]] at the commencement of their annual sessions.
# The president proclaims in the Negarit Gazeta laws and international agreements approved by the [[House of Peoples' Representatives]] in accordance with the Constitution.
# The president, upon recommendation by the prime minister, appoints ambassadors and other envoys to represent the country abroad.
# The president receives the credentials of foreign ambassadors and special envoys.
# The president awards medals, prizes and gifts in accordance with conditions and procedures established by law.
# The president upon recommendation by the prime minister, grants high military titles and awards.
# The president, in accordance with conditions and procedures established by law, grants pardon.

The president's powers and duties need not be countersigned by the [[Prime Minister of Ethiopia|prime minister]] to be valid. All the listed roles are autonomous powers of the president. The president represents the country in various delegations, meetings, and international platforms that may require the attendance of the [[head of state]].

==Succession==
If the president is unable to preside and exercise his or her duties because of illness, death, resignation, conviction or impeachment, the two chambers of the [[Federal Parliamentary Assembly]] will immediately designate an acting president. With no longer than a week time the Federal Parliamentary Assembly will convene by an extraordinary session to elect the successor and declare the new president.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lawethiopia.com/images/federal_proclamation/proclamations_by_number/255.pdf|title=FEDERAL NEGARIT GAZETA|website=lawethiopia.com|access-date=12 April 2023|archive-date=9 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209081820/https://www.lawethiopia.com/images/federal_proclamation/proclamations_by_number/255.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Security==
The president of Ethiopia is protected by the [[Republican Guard (Ethiopia)|Republican Guard]], which is a special armed unit of the [[Ethiopian National Defense Force]]. The Republican Guard's Counter Military Unit is responsible for protecting the presidential palace commonly known as [[National Palace, Addis Ababa|Jubilee Palace]]. The Counter Military Unit carries heavy assault rifles such as Israel-made Tavor-21 and American M-4's and long range snipers that can penetrate bullet proof glass. The Republican Guard also uses helicopters as well as armored vehicles.

==Latest election==
{{main|2024 Ethiopian presidential election}}

==See also==
*[[Emperor of Ethiopia]]
**[[List of emperors of Ethiopia]]
*[[List of presidents of Ethiopia]]
*[[List of heads of government of Ethiopia]]
*[[Rulers of Ethiopia]]
*[[Vice President of Ethiopia]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Ethiopia topics}}
{{EthiopianPres}}
{{Heads of state and government of African states}}

[[Category:Presidents of Ethiopia|*]]
[[Category:Government of Ethiopia]]
[[Category:1987 establishments in Ethiopia]]

[[et:Etioopia riigipeade loend]]
Source: [New President Announced](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g401e086no), BBC News.