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Al-Ahram Weekly 23 - 29 September 1999 Issue No. 448 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 23 - 29 September 1999 Issue No. 448
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Comment Focus Culture Special Features Profile Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters YEMENIS go to the polls today in the Arab state's first direct presidential elections, which long-serving President Ali Abdullah Saleh is expected to win easily against his only rival.
Opposition figures have described the election as a referendum. They said another five-year term for Saleh, who became president of a united Yemen in 1990 after 12 years as head of North Yemen, was a done deal.
Saleh opened his campaign tour with an appeal to all voters to cast their ballots "for whomever they want to."
His sole challenger is Najeeb Qahtan Al-Sha'abi, a member of Saleh's ruling General People's Congress (GPC). Both contenders have pushed identical platforms of an improved economy and a safer society.
Officials said they expected a large turnout; about 90 per cent of the registered voters, who number 5.6 million out of a population of about 16 million. But Yemen's main opposition parties said they would boycott the polls after parliament barred their only candidate from running.
To become a candidate, any nominee had to first win at least 10 per cent of votes in the 301-seat parliament.
Saleh's GPC holds 226 seats in parliament while the Islamic Islah (reform) Party, which also nominated Saleh in the vote, has 64 seats. A further eight seats are held by independents, while opposition parties hold three seats.
(photo: AP)
