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Middle East and North Africa
Yemen |
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| Last updated: 03 September 2009 |
Country information
POLITICS
Recent Political Developments
Yemen has had a democratic system and is pursuing decentralisation.
Elections
Parliamentary elections were held in April 2003 (Yemen's third since unification), with the General People's Congress (GPC), the Party of the President, winning 238 seats. The largest opposition party, Islah, gained only 46 seats. The next Parliamentary elections were due in April 2009 but following a dispute between the main parties were postponed until 2011. Yemen's first direct Presidential election (September 1999) was won comfortably by President Saleh. A referendum held in 2001 extended the presidential term from five years to seven years. The next Presidential elections are scheduled for September 2013. Local elections were held for the first time in February 2001.
HUMAN RIGHTS
The British Government has a number of concerns about human rights in Yemen. These include aspects of the judicial system; arbitrary detention, freedom of expression and capital punishment. The Yemenis did, however, create a new position of Minister of Human Rights in April 2001 and has established a full Ministry. The current Minister is Houda Al-Ban.
