The Imperial Parliament of Ethiopia was first convened by Emperor Haile Selassie in 1931,[1] although it was largely an advisory and feudal body, and was consolidated under the 1931 constitution.

However, deputies largely consisted of feudal lords, rich merchants and high-level members of the civil service.

Actual power, however, rested in the WPE (and particularly with Mengistu), defined as the leading force of state and society.

The National Shengo, while nominally vested with great lawmaking powers, actually did little more than rubber-stamp decisions made by Mengistu and the WPE.

Following Mengistu's overthrow in 1991, the Shengo was abolished, and a period of transition lasted until 1995, when a new legislature was inaugurated under the new constitution.