Prospects for Stability

Elections held in 1997 resulted in a continuation of Salih's power, backed by a coalition between the General People's Congress and the Islah parties. Socialists in the south continued to charge that repression and unfair practices remained. Yemeni women were active in voter registration drives, although few ran for or held office. About one-fourth of the citizenry was regis-

Sanaa, the capital of Yemen. (PhotoDisc)

Tered to vote. The government continued to hold power, at least partially, by military means. Nevertheless, the elections were considered to be significant in developing greater democracy.

Ali Abdallah Salih's hold on leadership received additional confirmation in September, 1999, when Yemen held its first direct popular election of president. Prior to a change in the constitution, the president had been elected by parliament. Salih received an overwhelming majority of votes in the election.

Yemen held its first elections for local councils in February, 2001, extending electoral politics to localities throughout the nation. Once again, Salih enjoyed confirmation and extension of his time in office, since voters in the 2001 elections approved a referendum that would allow Salih to continue as president until 2013. A month after the election, Salih appointed Abd al-Qadir al-Ba Jamal as prime minister. Ba Jamal was a southerner who had served in the Marxist government of South Yemen before reunification. By the early twenty-first century, Yemen appeared to be moving toward political stability. There were also some elements of democratization, although power remained in the hands of the president.