Ethiopia’s Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) announced its decision to boycott 2021 elections due to the high levels of arrests and detainments of its members and supporters, including the media mogul and prominent opposition figure Jawar Mohammed, which the party said will make it “extremely hard” for it to run, Addis Standard reported Dec. 9. Why It Matters: Such boycotts risk undermining the legitimacy of next year’s elections, which will serve as an important litmus test for Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s ability to hold onto power. Oromo parties are the most likely to boycott, given the central government’s particularly tense relationship with the Oromia region. But as Ethiopia’s political and economic security continues to deteriorate amid increasing ethnic violence and the ongoing conflict in Tigray, other parties may also follow suit, including those in the Somali region.