Democratisation has been the subject of much scholarly discussion during the past few years, notably the so-called ‘third wave’ that is taking place in Africa and the former Soviet bloc. Of particular interest is the concept of the abertura, or opening of the political system, that many have come to believe is the prerequisite for a fully fledged transition to democracy. After years of military rule, this is what appears to have occurred in Ethiopia, and hence the aims of this article are (i) to trace the origins and platforms of the various political parties that have had a relatively open forum for opposition since 1991, (ii) to evaluate their effectiveness both in providing a viable alternative to the régime in power and in aggregating the interests of the different societal and ethnic groups, and (iii) to examine the future of democracy in their country.