Leader of South Yemen
Coat of arms
Appointer	General Command, Politburo, Central Committee or any party apparatus
Formation	30 November 1967 21 May 1994 11 May 2017
First holder	Qahtan Muhammad al-Shaabi (as President)
Final holder	Ali Salem al Beidh (as General Secretary & President)
Abolished	22 May 1990 7 July 1994

The People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (commonly referred to as South Yemen) became independent as the People's Republic of South Yemen in November 1967, after the British withdrawal from the Federation of South Arabia and the Protectorate of South Arabia. In May 1990, South Yemen unified with the Yemen Arab Republic (commonly referred to as North Yemen) to form the united Republic of Yemen. During the May–July 1994 Civil War, South Yemen seceded from the united Yemen and established the short-lived Democratic Republic of Yemen.

Heads of party

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Yemeni Socialist Party
1		Abdul Fattah Ismail عبد الفتاح إسماعيل علي الجوفي (1939–1986)	21 December 1978	21 April 1980
2		Ali Nasir Muhammad علي ناصر محمد الحسني (1939–)	21 April 1980	24 January 1986
3		Ali Salem al Beidh علي سالم البيض (1939–)	24 January 1986	7 July 1994

Heads of state

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Party
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
President of the People's Republic of South Yemen
1		Qahtan Muhammad al-Shaabi قحطان محمد الشعبي (1920–1981)[1]	30 November 1967 [1]	22 June 1969 [1]		National Liberation Front [2]
Chairmen of the Presidential Council
2		Salim Rubai Ali سالم ربيع علي "سالمين (1935–1978)[3]	23 June 1969	26 June 1978		National Liberation Front [2]
3		Ali Nasir Muhammad علي ناصر محمد الحسني (1939–)[4]	26 June 1978	21 December 1978		National Liberation Front [2]
(3)			21 December 1978	27 December 1978		Yemeni Socialist Party [5]
Chairmen of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Council
4		Abdul Fattah Ismail عبد الفتاح إسماعيل علي الجوفي (1939–1986)[4]	27 December 1978	21 April 1980		Yemeni Socialist Party [5]
(3)		Ali Nasir Muhammad علي ناصر محمد الحسني (1939–)[6]	21 April 1980	24 January 1986		Yemeni Socialist Party [5]
5		Haidar Abu Bakr al-Attas حيدر أبو بكر العطاس (1939–)	24 January 1986	22 May 1990		Yemeni Socialist Party [5]
Yemen Unification (22 May 1990 – 21 May 1994)
President of the Democratic Republic of Yemen
6		Ali Salem al Beidh علي سالم البيض (1939–) (in rebellion)	21 May 1994	7 July 1994		Yemeni Socialist Party [5]
Yemen Reunification (7 July 1994 – 11 May 2017)
President of the Southern Transitional Council
		Aidarus al-Zoubaidi عيدروس الزُبيدي (1967–) (in rebellion)	11 May 2017	Incumbent		Southern Movement

Heads of government

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Party
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
Prime Ministers of the People's Republic of South Yemen
1		Faysal al-Shaabi فيصل عبد الطيف الشعبي (1935–1970)	6 April 1969	22 June 1969		National Liberation Front [2]
2		Muhammad Ali Haitham محمد علي هيثم (1940–1993)[3]	23 June 1969	See below		National Liberation Front [2]
Prime Ministers of the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen
(2)		Muhammad Ali Haitham محمد علي هيثم (1940–1993)[3]	See above	2 August 1971 [3]		National Liberation Front [2]
3		Ali Nasir Muhammad علي ناصر محمد الحسني (1939–)[7]	2 August 1971	21 December 1978		National Liberation Front [2]
(3)			21 December 1978	14 February 1985 [7]		Yemeni Socialist Party [5]
4		Haidar Abu Bakr al-Attas حيدر أبو بكر العطاس (1939–)[7]	14 February 1985 [7]	8 February 1986		Yemeni Socialist Party [5]
5		Yasin Said Numan ياسين سعيد نعمان (1948–)	8 February 1986	22 May 1990		Yemeni Socialist Party [5]
Yemen Unification (22 May 1990 – 21 May 1994)
Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Yemen
6		Haidar Abu Bakr al-Attas حيدر أبو بكر العطاس (1939–) (in rebellion)	21 May 1994	7 July 1994		Yemeni Socialist Party [5]

Heads of council

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Party
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Council
1		Abdul Fattah Ismail عبد الفتاح إسماعيل علي الجوفي (1939–1986)[4]	1970	21 December 1978		National Liberation Front [2]
(1)			21 December 1978	21 April 1980		Yemeni Socialist Party [5]
2		Ali Nasir Muhammad علي ناصر محمد الحسني (1939–)[6]	26 April 1980	24 January 1986		Yemeni Socialist Party [5]
3		Haidar Abu Bakr al-Attas حيدر أبو بكر العطاس (1939–)	24 January 1986	22 May 1990		Yemeni Socialist Party [5]
Yemen Unification (22 May 1990 – 21 May 1994)
Yemen Reunification (7 July 1994 – 11 May 2017)
President of the National Assembly of the Southern Transitional Council
		Ahmed Said Bin Breik (in rebellion)	23 December 2017	Incumbent		Southern Movement