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Multiethnic Federalism in Ethiopia: A Study of the Secession Clause in the Constitution

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  • Alem Habtu

Abstract

In 1991, Ethiopia's new leaders established a multiethnic federation that provides for the right to secession. The secession clause was incorporated for reasons of ideology and necessity. The federation consists of largely ethnic-based territorial units and encourages political parties to organize along ethnic lines. The Ethiopian case is a radical departure from most other federal systems. This analysis focuses on (1) Ethiopia's secession clause, (2) the House of Federation, and (3) state-federal relations. The future of federalism in Ethiopia is unclear. The provisions of a liberal democratic constitution conflict with the reality of authoritarian centralist practice and therefore jeopardize the future of federalism. Although the secession clause has symbolic value, it is unlikely that any Ethiopian government would allow secession to take place. Copyright 2005, Oxford University Press.

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  • Alem Habtu, 2005. "Multiethnic Federalism in Ethiopia: A Study of the Secession Clause in the Constitution," Publius: The Journal of Federalism, CSF Associates Inc., vol. 35(2), pages 313-335, Spring.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:publus:v:35:y:2005:i:2:p:313-335
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/publius/pji016
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    Cited by:

    1. Kassahun, Habtamu Tilahun & Swait, Joffre & Jacobsen, Jette Bredahl, 2021. "Distortions in willingness-to-pay for public goods induced by endemic distrust in institutions," Journal of choice modelling, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    2. Tesfaye Semela, 2012. "Intergroup Relations among the Ethiopian Youth," Journal of Developing Societies, , vol. 28(3), pages 323-354, September.
    3. Allen, Trevor J. & Taagepera, Rein, 2017. "Seat allocation in federal second chambers: Logical models in Canada and Germany," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 22-30.
    4. Martijn Huysmans & Christophe Crombez, 2020. "Making exit costly but efficient: the political economy of exit clauses and secession," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 31(1), pages 89-110, March.
    5. Yonatan Dinku & Dereje Regasa, 2021. "Ethnic Diversity and Local Economies," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 89(3), pages 348-367, September.

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