Viability of Yemen’s New Political Parties Questioned
In the wake of the 2011 revolution, the Yemeni political scene has witnessed the emergence of many new parties, yet it remains to be seen how viable and effective these new forces will be.
Abdulwahab al-Homaiqani is a new face in Yemeni politics. He is the secretary-general of the (religious) Salafist Rashad Union Party, the party’s representative to the National Dialogue Conference (NDC), and one of the most prominent new faces in Yemeni politics and public affairs. His party’s proposals often stir controversy, and they are seen as progressive and practical for a Salafist party, especially if compared to old political parties. Homaiqani’s business card includes his contact information and party address, and — surprisingly — the party’s bank account number, which is a simple and smart mechanism to acquire financial resources for the party.
To establish a new party in Yemen, all you need is 2,500 signatures of real names, an internal system and a license application to submit to the Committee for Affairs of Political Parties and Organizations (CAPPO), as the party of Homaiqani and others did.
