Government and power in Eritrea
Who leads Eritrea, how the World Bank's governance indicators score it, how many women sit in parliament and government, what the state spends and taxes, and the official bodies that hold power to account. System of government: Unitary state; single-party (PFDJ) government without an implemented constitution.
Who leads Eritrea?
- Head of state: Isaias Afwerki (President of the State of Eritrea)
- Head of government: No Prime Minister
- Foreign minister: Osman Saleh Mohammed (Minister for Foreign Affairs of the State of Eritrea)
Source: Heads of State, Heads of Government, Ministers for Foreign Affairs: Public List (United Nations Protocol and Liaison Service), list dated 15 October 2026. All world leaders.
Governance scores
The World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators combine surveys of households and firms with assessments by public, private and non-governmental bodies. Each score runs from 0 to 100; higher means the sources rate governance better. They measure perceptions, and each has a margin of error.
- Voice and accountability
- Measures how far citizens can choose their government, and freedom of expression, association and the media.
- Political stability and absence of violence
- Measures the likelihood of political instability or politically motivated violence, including terrorism.
- Government effectiveness
- Measures the quality of public services and the civil service, and how independent they are from political pressure.
- Regulatory quality
- Measures the government's ability to make and carry out policies that let the private sector develop.
- Rule of law
- Measures confidence in and respect for the rules of society, including contract enforcement, property rights, the police and the courts.
- Control of corruption
- Measures how far public power is used for private gain, including petty and grand corruption and "capture" of the state by elites.
How does Eritrea score on voice and accountability?
Voice and accountability: 14.6 out of 100 in 2025, the lowest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 41.2). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 14.5.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Eritrea score on political stability?
Political stability and absence of violence: 55.1 out of 100 in 2025, 148th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 56.4). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 51.1.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Eritrea score on government effectiveness?
Government effectiveness: 21.1 out of 100 in 2025, 183rd highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 36.2). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 25.3.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Eritrea score on regulatory quality?
Regulatory quality: 19.2 out of 100 in 2025, the lowest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 42.9). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 22.3.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Eritrea score on the rule of law?
Rule of law: 29.5 out of 100 in 2025, 186th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 44.6). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 31.5.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Eritrea score on control of corruption?
Control of corruption: 15.6 out of 100 in 2025, 189th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 32.2). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 20.8.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many women are in Eritrea's parliament?
Women held 22.0% of seats in the national parliament (single or lower chamber) in 2019, 89th highest of 192 countries with data. Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union, via the World Bank.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many of Eritrea's ministers are women?
Women held 26.7% of ministerial posts in 2025, 67th highest of 190.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow big are the armed forces of Eritrea?
Armed forces personnel numbered 202,000 in 2020.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many people in Eritrea use the internet?
14.3% of people used the internet in 2020.
Source: World Bank · saved copyOfficial bodies that hold power in Eritrea
Government
- Ministry of InformationOfficial government news, proclamations and statements.
Government below the national level
- Regions (zobas, 6): Regional administrator appointed by the president; regional assemblies set up under a 1996 proclamation
- Sub-regions (sub-zobas): Administrators appointed
- Administrative areas and villages: Local administrators and village bodies, chosen under PFDJ oversight
How local power works in Eritrea
Places in Eritrea
Sources
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Voice and accountability (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 70f2804fd1e2…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Political stability and absence of violence (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1317de0c85e1…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Government effectiveness (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a775e808dc65…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Regulatory quality (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 83b57e36ff8c…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Rule of law (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0bccc3c054e8…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Control of corruption (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3b15a5340cdd…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Seats held by women in national parliament (SG.GEN.PARL.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1ae1dc13981a…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Women in ministerial positions (SG.GEN.MNST.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a4e448a5b8bd…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Armed forces personnel (MS.MIL.TOTL.P1), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fa4663c743ba…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: People using the internet (IT.NET.USER.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0d78dc658329…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.