Executive branch: chief of state: President Field Marshall Ali
Abdallah SALIH (since 22 May 1990, the former president of North
Yemen, assumed office upon the merger of North and South Yemen);
Vice President Maj. Gen. Abd al-Rab Mansur al-HADI (since 3 October
1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Abd al-Qadir BA JAMAL (since 4 April 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
elections: president elected by direct, popular vote for a five-year term (a new constitution amendment extends the term by two years to a seven-year term); election last held 23 September 1999 (next to be held NA 2006); vice president appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
election results: Ali Abdallah SALIH elected president; percent of vote: Ali Abdallah SALIH 96.3%, Najeeb Qahtan AL-SHAABI 3.7%
Legislative branch: a new constitutional amendment ratified on 20 February 2001 created a bicameral legislature consisting of a Shura Council (111 seats; members appointed by the president) and a House of Representatives (301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: last held 27 April 1997 (next to be held 27 April 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - GPC 189, Islah 52, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab Socialist Baath Party 2, independents 54, election pending 1; latest seats by party: GPC 223, Islah 64, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab Socialist Baath Party 2, YSP 2, independents 7
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: there are over 12 political parties
active in Yemen, some of the more prominent are: General People's
Congress or GPC [President Ali Abdallah SALIH]; Islamic Reform
Grouping or Islah [Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR]; National
Arab Socialist Baath Party [Dr. Qassim SALAAM]; Nasserite Unionist
Party [Abdel Malik al-MAKHLAFI]; Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Ali
Salih MUQBIL]