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Politics of Yemen

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The following is a list of the heads of state of modern Yemen, from the establishment of the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen in 1918 to the present day.

Yemen is in a tumultuous state since the start of the Arab Spring-related Yemeni Crisis in 2011; the crisis resulted in the resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh in 2012, after 33 years in power.[1] The presidency was then transferred to Vice President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. Since 2014–2015, the country has been in a civil war (alongside the Saudi Arabian–led military intervention aimed at restoring Hadi's government after the Houthi takeover) with several proto-state entities claiming to govern Yemen: the internationally recognized Cabinet of Yemen/Presidential Leadership Council, the Houthi-led Supreme Revolutionary Committee/Supreme Political Council, and the secessionist Southern Transitional Council.[2][3][4][5][6]

Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen (1918–1970)

Portrait Imam
(Birth–Death) 		Reign House Claim
Reign start Reign end Duration
Yahya Muhammad Hamid ed-Din
(1869–1948) 		30 October 1918 17 February 1948
(assassinated.)[7] 		29 years, 110 days Rassid Imam of the Zaydis since 4 June 1904
Ahmad bin Yahya
(1891–1962) 		17 February 1948 19 September 1962[8] 14 years, 214 days Rassid Son of Yahya
Muhammad al-Badr
(1926–1996) 		19 September 1962 26 September 1962
(deposed.)[9] 		7 days Rassid Son of Ahmad

Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen in Exile (1962–1970)

Portrait Imam
(Birth–Death) 		Reign House Claim
Reign start Reign end Duration
Muhammad al-Badr
(1926–1996)[a] 		27 September 1962 1 December 1970 8 years, 65 days Rassid Son of Ahmad

Yemen Arab Republic (1962–1990)

Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office Political party
Took office Left office Time in office
President of the Republic
Abdullah al-Sallal
(1917–1994)[b] 		27 September 1962 5 November 1967
(deposed.) 		5 years, 39 days Military
Chairman of the Republican Council
Abdul Rahman al-Eryani
(1910–1998) 		5 November 1967 13 June 1974
(deposed.)[10] 		6 years, 220 days Independent
President of the Republic
Ibrahim al-Hamdi
(1943–1977)[c] 		13 June 1974 11 October 1977
(assassinated.)[11] 		3 years, 120 days Military
Ahmad al-Ghashmi
(1938–1978)[d] 		11 October 1977 24 June 1978
(assassinated.)[12] 		256 days Military
Chairman of the Presidential Council
Abdul Karim Abdullah al-Arashi
(1934–2006) 		24 June 1978 18 July 1978 24 days Independent
President of the Republic
Ali Abdullah Saleh
(1947–2017) 		18 July 1978[13] 22 May 1990[14] 11 years, 308 days Military
(until 24 August 1982)
General People's Congress

People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (1967–1990)

Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office Political party
Took office Left office Time in office
President of the Republic
Qahtan Muhammad al-Shaabi
(1920–1981) 		30 November 1967 22 June 1969
(deposed.)[15] 		1 year, 204 days National Liberation Front
Chairman of the Presidential Council
Salim Rubai Ali
(1935–1978) 		23 June 1969 26 June 1978
(assassinated.)[16] 		9 years, 3 days National Liberation Front
Ali Nasir Muhammad
(born 1939) 		26 June 1978 27 December 1978 184 days National Liberation Front
(until 21 December 1978.)
Yemeni Socialist Party
Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Council
Abdul Fattah Ismail
(1939–1986) 		27 December 1978 21 April 1980[17] 1 year, 116 days Yemeni Socialist Party
Ali Nasir Muhammad
(born 1939) 		26 April 1980 24 January 1986
(deposed.) 		5 years, 273 days Yemeni Socialist Party
Haidar Abu Bakr al-Attas
(born 1939) 		24 January 1986[18] 22 May 1990[14] 4 years, 118 days Yemeni Socialist Party

Democratic Republic of Yemen (1994)

Portrait President
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office Political party
Took office Left office Time in office
Ali Salem al Beidh
(born 1939)
(in rebellion) 		21 May 1994[19] 7 July 1994[20] 47 days Yemeni Socialist Party

STC secession attempt (2017–present)

Portrait President
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office Political party
Took office Left office Time in office
Aidarus al-Zoubaidi
(born 1967)
(in rebellion) 		11 May 2017 Incumbent 6 years, 251 days Southern Movement

Republic of Yemen (post-unification, 1990–present)

Status
  Denotes Acting President
Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Elected Term of office Political party
Took office Left office Time in office
President of the Republic
Ali Abdullah Saleh
(1947–2017)[e] 		1999
2006 		22 May 1990 27 February 2012
(resigned.)[21] 		21 years, 281 days General People's Congress
Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi
(born 1945) 		— 4 June 2011 23 September 2011 111 days General People's Congress
23 November 2011 27 February 2012 96 days
2012 27 February 2012 7 April 2022
(resigned.)[22] 		10 years, 39 days
Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council
Rashad al-Alimi
(born 1954) 		— 7 April 2022[22] Incumbent 1 year, 285 days General People's Congress
President of the Supreme Revolutionary Committee
Mohammed al-Houthi
(born 1979)[f]
(in rebellion) 		— 6 February 2015 15 August 2016 1 year, 191 days Houthis
President of the Supreme Political Council
Saleh Ali al-Sammad
(1979–2018)[f]
(in rebellion) 		— 15 August 2016 19 April 2018
(killed.)[23] 		1 year, 247 days Houthis
Mahdi al-Mashat
(born 1986)[f]
(in rebellion) 		— 25 April 2018 Incumbent 5 years, 269 days Houthis

Timeline

Rashad al-AlimiMahdi al-MashatAidarus al-ZoubaidiSaleh Ali al-SammadMohammed al-HouthiAbdrabbuh Mansur HadiAli Salem al BeidhHaidar Abu Bakr al-AttasAbdul Fattah IsmailAli Abdullah SalehAli Nasir MuhammadAbdul Karim Abdullah al-ArashiAhmad al-GhashmiIbrahim al-HamdiSalim Rubai AliQahtan Muhammad al-ShaabiAbdul Rahman al-EryaniAbdullah al-SallalMuhammad al-BadrAhmad bin YahyaYahya Muhammad Hamid ed-Din

See also

Notes

  1. ^ In northern Yemen, from March 1969 in exile in Taif, Saudi Arabia.
  2. ^ Styled as Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council until 3 October 1962.
  3. ^ Styled as Chairman of the Command Council until 13 June 1975.
  4. ^ Styled as Chairman of the Presidential Council until 22 April 1978.
  5. ^ Styled as Chairman of the Presidential Council until 1 October 1994.
  6. ^ a b c Appointed by the Houthis, in rebellion during their takeover and its aftermath.

References

  1. ^ James L. Gelvin (2012). The Arab Uprisings: What Everyone Needs to Know. Oxford University Press. p. 68. ISBN 978-0-19-989177-1.
  2. ^ Mareike Transfeld (2014). "Capturing Sanaa: Why the Houthis Were Successful in Yemen". Muftah. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  3. ^ Steven A. Zyck (2014). "Mediating Transition in Yemen: Achievements and Lessons" (PDF). International Peace Institute. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  4. ^ Silvana Toska (26 September 2014). "Shifting balances of power in Yemen's crisis". The Washington Post. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  5. ^ "Houthi leader vows to defend 'glorious revolution'". Al Jazeera. 8 February 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  6. ^ Aboueldahab, Noha. "Yemen's fate was sealed six years ago". www.aljazeera.com.
  7. ^ "YEMEN HEAD KILLED WITH 3 SONS, AIDE". New York Times. Associated Press. 20 February 1948. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  8. ^ "Imam Ahmad of Yemen Is Dead". New York Times. 20 September 1962. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  9. ^ "Imam of Yemen Reported Slain In Coup After a Week on Throne". New York Times. 28 September 1962. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  10. ^ "Military in Yemen Ousts Government And Sets Up Junta". New York Times. 14 June 1974. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  11. ^ "Martial Law Is Imposed by Yemen". New York Times. 13 October 1977. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  12. ^ "President of Yemen Reported Murdered". New York Times. Associated Press. 25 June 1978. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  13. ^ "Yemen People's Council Chooses Saleh to Take Over as President". New York Times. Associated Press. 18 July 1978. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  14. ^ a b "2 Yemens Become One, and Celebrate". New York Times. Reuters. 23 May 1990. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  15. ^ "Southern Yemen's President Quits and Council Replaces Him". New York Times. 23 June 1969. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  16. ^ "South Yemen Chief Reported Slain, But Pro‐Red Group Stays in Power". New York Times. 27 June 1978. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  17. ^ "South Yemen Replaces President; Held Office Less Than 2 Years". New York Times. 22 April 1980. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  18. ^ Serge Schmemann (26 January 1986). "SOVIET-BACKED YEMENI IS 'ACTING PRESIDENT'". New York Times. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  19. ^ "Southern Yemenis Announce Secession". New York Times. Reuters. 22 May 1994. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  20. ^ "Yemen Claims Victory in Civil War After Seizing Rebel City". New York Times. Associated Press. 8 July 1994. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  21. ^ "AFP: Yemen's Saleh formally steps down after 33 years". Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  22. ^ a b Ghobari, Mohamed (7 April 2022). "Yemen president sacks deputy, delegates presidential powers to council". Reuters. Aden. Retrieved 7 April 2022. With this declaration a Presidential Leadership Council shall be established to complete the implementation of the tasks of the transitional period. I irreversibly delegate to the Presidential Leadership Council my full powers in accordance with the constitution and the Gulf Initiative and its executive mechanism.
  23. ^ "Yemen war: Houthi political leader 'killed in air raid'". BBC. 23 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.

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