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Elections and Mass Politics in Yemen Sheila Carapico University of Richmond, Scarapic@Richmond.Edu University of Richmond UR Scholarship Repository Political Science Faculty Publications Political Science 1993 Elections and Mass Politics in Yemen Sheila Carapico University of Richmond, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarship.richmond.edu/polisci-faculty-publications Part of the International Relations Commons, and the Near and Middle Eastern Studies Commons Recommended Citation Carapico, Sheila. "Elections and Mass Politics in Yemen." Middle East Report 185 26, no. 6 (1993): 2-6. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Political Science at UR Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Political Science Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of UR Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 'W ml m's PresidentialCouncil, May 25, 1990. Fromleft to right:Salim Sallh, Vice PresidentAH Salim al-Bayd, President All Abdallah Sallh, Abd al-Karlm al-Arashl and Abd ahAzizAbd al-Ghani. Yemen's experiment in popular parliamentary elec? Elections and Mass tions has shaken things up in the Arabian Peninsula, the last place on earth that the United States wants to Politics in Yemen see democracy flourish. But internal political differ? ences, profound economic crisis and Saudi hostility puts this achievement at risk. Yemeni parliamentary election of April 27, 1993, The marks a watershed for the Arabian Peninsula. The multiparty contest for 301 constituency-based seats, and the period of unfettered public debate and discussion that preceded it, represents the advent of organized mass pol? itics in a region where political power has long remained a closely-held family affair. In the weeks after Yemenis Sheila Carapico, an editor of this magazine, teaches international relationsat the Universityof Richmondin Virginia.She is currentlyin Yemenon a Fulbrightgrant, researchingpolitical developmentssince unification. Middle East Report ? November-December 1993 went to the polls, the regime next door in Saudi Arabia es. The General People's Congress (GPC) was founded by sent armed police to raid a university campus in Riyadh Ali Abdallah Salih in the 1980s as an Egyptian-style amal? and arrest a professor active in a banned human rights gam of all political tendencies within Salih's regime. Ali committee. These and other developments in the region Salim al-Bayd's Yemen Socialist Party (YSP), born during may compel the Clinton administration to weigh its democ? South Yemen's anti-colonial struggle and divided between ratization rhetoric a little more seriously. When a high- old-guard Leninists and a growing number of social democ? ranking State Department official visited Yemen in mid- rats, was better organized and had a more coherent ide? May, he followed his pro-forma congratulations with a ology than the GPC. cautionary note: "I don't think you should look on what you This rough two-party equilibrium created space for other do here as a model for anyone else to follow."1 political organizations. The Saudi-backed Isiah (Reform) Yemen's commitment to elections accompanied the uni? Party is a marriage of convenience between Shaikh fication agreement between Ali Abdallah Salih, president Abdallah al-Ahmar, the head of the powerful Hashid con? of the (North) Yemen Arab Republic (YAR), and Ali Salim federation, and the urban-based Muslim Brotherhood. al-Bayd, leader of the ruling party in the (South) People's In 1991, the Isiah had led an unsuccessful boycott of the Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY). Following for? 1991 constitutional referendum because the shari'a is stip? mal unification on May 22,1990, a five-member Presidential ulated simply as "the main" rather than "the only" source Council headed by Salih held executive power, and the two of legislation. The Iraqi-leaning Yemeni Ba'th is much former parliaments were combined in a unified Chamber smaller in numbers, but also wields some influence in trib? of Deputies. Under a constitution approved by national al and military circles through its charismatic leader, referendum in May 1991, political parties organized open? Mujahid Abu Shuarib.5 The most important among some ly and most restrictions on association, expression and 40 other parties are three Nasirist factions; a sayyid* group movement were lifted. The 1991 referendum specified that known as al-Haq (Right); Omar al-Jawi's progressive the elections be held within 30 months of unification, but Unionist Party; and the League of the Sons of Yemen led a combination of technical problems, procrastination and by Abd al-Rahman al-Jifri. Some smaller parties, unable conflicts between "Ali and Ali" (Salih and al-Bayd) post? to field a full slate and obtain state campaign financing, poned polling beyond the November 1992 deadline. ran candidates as "independents." In the months before April, a multiparty Supreme Despite instances of disorder and violence, and scores Elections Committee (SEC) drew up 301 districts and estab? of complaints, the outcome indicated a genuine contest. lished procedures for voter and candidate registration, a The GPC won 123 constituencies; Isiah came in second 10-day campaign period, write-in ballots, and counting with 62 seats, mostly from its tribal rather than its Islamist procedures.2 In early 1993, 2.7 million adults (including wing; the YSP took 57, mostly in the former PDRY; inde? 77 percent of eligible males and 15 percent of eligible pendents won 47; the Ba'th seven; three Nasirist parties females) registered to vote. Some 4,800 candidates regis? each gained one seat; al-Haq won two, and one district's tered, the majority of them independents.3 More than 3,600, election was postponed.6 The YSP claimed that in addition including 50 women, stayed in the campaign until the end. to 57 party members, 13 independent socialists won with its support, and an additional 17 genuinely independent deputies-elect share its vision of the future.7 Some spec? Political Space ulated that Isiah, which declined to estimate its unofficial How did it happen that two erstwhile dictators presided sympathizers, had 30 supporters who won under the GPC over relatively fair, peaceful multiparty elections? banner, plus three independents. By any count, the arith? The answer lies mainly in the conditions that led to uni? metic mandated a coalition government.8 fication. The end of the Cold War eliminated the Soviet assistance so essential to the PDRY's and reduced survival, Domestic Pressures Western and Gulf interests in sustaining inter-Yemeni tensions. Dissidents from each polity had sought refuge in Arab leaders have promised free elections in the past and the others' capital, and most independent political move? not delivered. What made Salih and al-Bayd?neither of ments, organizations and unions were committed to unity. whose personal histories indicates a commitment to polit? Planners looked to recent oil discoveries along their com? ical liberalism?follow through? The answer lies in soci? mon frontier to bring in foreign investment and exchange. etal pressures which took different forms: mass confer? In short, realizing that in order to maintain power they ences, strikes, demonstrations, political organizations, would have to share power, Ali and Ali agreed not only to press commentaries, academic symposia and maqiyal or merge their polities but to open up the process to wider "salons." participation.4 Prior to the elections, a series of mass conferences pro? The process had some unique facilitating features. vided outlets for articulate opposition elements. A nine- Unlike other "democratizing" systems, Yemen inherited day Talahum (Cohesion) Conference in December 1991, two ruling parties that shared power in a delicate, often gathered some 10,000 men; although its banner was the tense balance the transitional each retain? during period, *Sayyid (plural sadah) refers to persons claiming descent from Muhammad, the prophet, ing control of its former military and security apparatus- whocomprised a ruling aristocracy inNorth Yemen prior to the 1962 revolution. Middle East Report ? November-December 1993 Bakil tribal confederation, urban intellectuals were among integrity of the balloting process, they did perform a mod? the organizers and authors of a 33-point resolution calling est watchdog function and met again after the elections to forjudicial independence, strengthening of representative prepare for the next round. Syndicates, charities and inter? parliamentary and local bodies, fiscal restraint and man? est groups have been increasingly active. agement, revitalization of agricultural and services.coop- The press is also significant within the political arena. eratives, an independent media, environmental protec? More than 100 partisan and independent newspapers and tion, free elections within the mandated time-frame, magazines, mostly founded since 1990, covered these peaceful resolution of tribal conflicts, and other reforms.9 events. Although the government daily, Al-Thawra, and Some seven other tribe-based but civic-oriented mass con? state-run television and radio tend to dominate news cov? ferences in 1992 each issued written demands for the erage, a number of opposition weeklies have a strong read? rule of law, pluralism, economic development and local ership among the literate, urban, politically active popu? autonomy. The Saba' (Sheba) Conference of Bakil and lation: Sawt al-(Ummal (Voice of the Workers), based in Madhaj tribes elected a council of trustees, a council
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