Yemen: Pro-government Political Parties Find Ways to Heal Rifts

Yemen’s pro-government political parties and components will begin forming a broad national political bloc to advance the process of “ending the coup and restoring the state”, informed sources said on Monday.

During a meeting in Aden over the past two days, the parties reviewed in-depth studies on the current situation in Yemen and the latest developments at various levels.

The political parties agreed to prioritize the major issues, including the southern issue, ending the Houthi coup, restoring the state, and providing public services to the population in government-controlled provinces.

The return of all institutions to operate in Aden and combating corruption and terrorism were also among the points that the pro-government political parties agreed on.

Forming a committee to prepare for establishing a democratic political bloc of all parties and components was also agreed on.

Various political parties participated in the meeting, including the General People’s Congress, the Yemeni Islah Party, the Yemeni Socialist Party, the Nasserite Party, the Southern Transitional Council, the Political Bureau of the National Resistance, and the Yemeni Rashad Party, Nahda Movement for Peaceful Change, the Yemeni Unionist Assembly, the Arab Socialist Baath Party, the Union of Popular Forces, the Justice and Construction Party, the National Solidarity Party, the Peace and Development Party, the Hadhramaut Inclusive Conference, the Southern National Coalition, the Republican Party, the Liberation Front Party, the Hadhramaut National Council, the National Socialist Baath Party, the People’s Democratic Party (Hashd), the Shabwa National Council, and the Revolutionary Council for the Peaceful Movement.

Official sources in Aden said this is the first time that the pro-government political forces and components have met in the city of Aden, considering a considerable shift in the political process in the country since the Houthis took over Sanaa in 2014.

Meanwhile, the head of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), Rashad Al-Alimi, arrived in Marib province for the first time since he was handed over power from former president Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi in April 2022.

Al-Alimi held meetings with local authority leaders, the executive bodies, and military and security leaders.

He said, “We assure you that we will start from here [Marib] and from other government-controlled provinces to liberate the areas that are still under the [Houtrhi] control.”

Yemeni political observers say the political momentum in Aden is a preparation for entering into a peace process with the Houthi group. However, they view Al-Alimi’s visit to Marib as a preparation for a military battle in case the political option fails.

Houthi-run media outlets continue to describe Al-Alimi as “treacherous” and “mercenary”, which points to the deep division between the Iran-backed Houthi group and Yemen’s UN-recognized government.