Ethiopia: Taye Atske-Selassie Sworn in as President

Facts

Ethiopia's Foreign Minister Taye Atske-Selassie was sworn in as the country's new president on Monday, shortly after the two houses of parliament elected him to replace Sahle-Work Zewde.^[1]^[2]
In his inauguration speech, Taye said that 'all doors to peace remain widely open' with individuals and groups but cautioned that attempts to 'achieve political goals through force' wouldn't be tolerated.^[3]^[4]
Sahle-Work, Ethiopia's first-ever female president, resigned weeks before her six-year term expired — after reportedly falling out with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.^[5]^[6]
During her presidency, Zewde had been criticized for her silence on conflict-related issues, including gender-based violence.^[6]^[7]
She worked as the special representative of the UN Secretary-General to the African Union before being named head of state with Abiy's support in 2018.^[6]^[8]^[9]^[10]
Ethiopia's presidency is largely ceremonial, with little to no impact on policies or power dynamics. Taye is the fifth person in the position since 1995 and can hold the office for a maximum of two six-year terms.^[5]^[8]

Narrative A, as provided by Zehabesha. Facing complex issues at home and abroad, the authoritarian Abiy regime effectively forced Sahle-Work to resign the presidency so Taye could emerge as the new head of state in an attempt to stabilize Ethiopia. Though unlikely, this change may lead to a new era in which the federal government meets the people's aspirations.
Narrative B, as provided by Semafor. Given the groundbreaking impact of her appointment as Ethiopia's first female president six years ago, it's natural that Sahle-Work's resignation is a shock to those who don't closely follow local politics. However, the fact is that she disappointingly saw widespread gender violence in Tigray and deadly conflicts across the country in silence.