to support these perceptions, they are noted as potential flash points. More constructive engagement and a demonstrable show of political will from the political class is required to reach a consensus on how best to build capacity for these critical institutions of democratic consolidation and national unity. Electoral System and Party Competition 152. The CRM finds it a noteworthy and reassuring departure from the past that post-1991 Ethiopia has conducted regular and competitive elections as follows: Constituent Assembly elections in 1994; general elections into the country’s first popularly-elected national parliament and regional councils or legislatures, in May and June 1995; the first multi-party elections in 2000; another set of multi-party elections in May 2005. Voter turn-out has increased with each set of elections, reaching a record 90% of registered voters in the 2005 elections. The general elections at federal and regional levels were last held in May 2010 with 93 percent participation rates. 153. From its stakeholder consultations, the CRM generally noted the existence of democratic and participatory nomination processes within the parties to select candidates from the constituency for elections to public political office at various levels. It was not possible, however, to determine the extent of compliance with the processes. 154. Elections, particularly the 2005 elections, have been contentious and controversial, with allegations of fraud, vote-rigging, and intimidation at constituency levels against the ruling coalition party, the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). Although the European Election Observer Mission to the 2005 general elections concluded that the elections fell short of international standards, other observer missions - notably the African Union and the U.S. Carter Centre - found them credible, arguing that they reflected competitive conditions, and constituted a “milestone.” 155. However, the CRM noted that opposition groups expressed reservations about the management and conduct of the 2005 elections, in particular. This also affected their confidence in the electoral process as presently constituted, including the mode of enabling and disenabling the NEBE and the post-election dispute resolution mechanisms leading up to the 2010 general elections. It is in this respect that the CRM welcomed the on-going All-Party Talks to reach a consensus about the process leading up to the 2010 elections. - 85 -