Eritrean Opposition Group Move Towards Merger
On August 25, 2025, a three-day meeting of Eritrean opposition organizations in Kassel, Germany, concluded with what many hailed as a breakthrough decision: the formation of a new coalition and the agreement to hold a general congress at the end of 2025.
The meeting brought together three major opposition organizations—the Eritrean National Democratic Party (HADI), the Eritrean National Salvation Front (ENSF), and the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF). After weeks of internal debates and external consultations, the groups agreed to establish the Eritrean National Democratic Coalition (ENDC), a new coalition that aims to overcome years of division and paralysis within the opposition camp.
Each organization elected 21 representatives, forming a 63-member council to lead the ENDC. Initially, the unequal size of the participating organizations had raised concerns about proportional representation, with fears that disputes could derail the effort. However, an agreement was reached by granting equal representation, an outcome that participants described as a “major step toward building trust.”
The coalition elected Alem Seyoum as speaker of the legislative council, while Mohammed Ismael Hummed was elected as the president of the coalition. Dr. Yousif Berhanu and Dr. Ahmedin Saleh were elected as deputy presidents.
Leaders of the three organizations also responded to grassroots pressure from their membership bases, agreeing to convene a general congress later this year to formalize the merger, adopt common structures, and define a unified political program.
A senior opposition officer commented:
“The three organizations have just crossed the political and diplomatic stalemate that made them ineffective. This agreement offers a real chance to regroup and move forward.”
The development has been welcomed as part of a broader trend of consolidation among Eritrean opposition forces. Other groups—including the Eritrean Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP)—are currently involved in parallel merger talks under the initiative known as the Eritrean Political Forces (EPF).
Background
The Eritrean opposition has long been plagued by fragmentation. In the early 2000s, splits within the historic Eritrean Liberation Front–Revolutionary Council (ELF-RC) gave rise to new factions, including the ENSF and the EPDP, fueled by disputes over the covenant of the Eritrean Democratic Alliance (EDA) and accusations of Ethiopian interference in opposition affairs.
Over the last decade, the ELF itself fragmented further, leaving rival factions in different camps. While some ELF members remained within the ENCDC (Eritrean National Council for Democratic Change), others joined the newly established ENDC.
Observers note that the Frankfurt meeting could mark a turning point if the momentum holds and unity efforts extend beyond the three organizations. The planned congress at the end of 2025 will be a crucial test of whether Eritrean opposition groups can finally overcome decades of internal divisions.
Awate Forum