Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki Maintains Totalitarian Rule Since 1993 Independence
Isaias Afwerki has served as the President of Eritrea since its formal independence on May 24, 1993. Under his leadership, Eritrea has operated as a unitary republic governed by the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), the successor to the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF). A constitution drafted in 1997 has never been implemented, and the country has not held any national elections since gaining independence. Executive authority is highly concentrated in President Afwerki, leading to a totalitarian regime. Eritrea's history includes a border war with Ethiopia from 1998 to 2000, concluded by the Algiers Agreement, though border demarcation remained contested until a rapprochement in 2018 normalized relations. The country's strategic location along the Red Sea coast has historically made it a significant hub for trade and cultural exchange.
