Analysts say Abiy hopes the merger will make EPRDF members more competitive Online Cigarettes Store USA at the ballot box as well as curtail rising ethno-nationalism.
But it's unclear whether Abiy can effectively manage the vote and -- if he gets a five-year term -- the birth of a more pluralistic political era.
"How do you loosen control without losing control? That's the big question. I don't think there's a recipe Newport Cigarettes Shop for how to do that," said Tobias Hagmann, an Ethiopia expert at Roskilde University in Denmark.Ethnic violence has been a persistent problem under Abiy, and some analysts say the situation is so bad that holding elections in May could prove impossible.
Abiy's loosening of the reins has allowed longstanding tensions between ethnic groups to boil over, and Ethiopia recorded more displaced people than any other country in 2018.
The latest outbreak occurred in October after prominent Oromo activist Jawar Mohammed accused the government of trying to orchestrate an attack against him.
Anti-government protests devolved into ethnic clashes across Oromia that left 86 people dead.
Witnesses and victims said young Oromo nationalists targeted non-Oromos and, in some cases, fellow Oromos Cheap Newport 100s cigarettes who opted not to participate in the violence.
Amnesty International warned that the episode could be "a premonition for mass atrocities".
What will it take to revive the economy?
Abiy clearly believes that breathing new life into Ethiopia's economy is crucial for his electoral prospects.
While Ethiopia is one of Africa's fastest-growing economies, high GDP rates have been largely fuelled by state spending, and officials now want to stimulate private sector growth.
Abiy unveiled a "Homegrown Economic Reform" plan earlier this year, describing it as "our bridge to prosperity".
The plan is intended to address problems like high inflation, foreign exchange shortages and current account deficits.
A major test will come when officials open the telecoms sector to foreign competition, a move expected next year.
What does Ethiopia's stability mean for the region?