4 - Yemen
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 February 2020
Summary
Chapter 4 tracks Yemen’s democratic transition and descent into civil war. Like Libya, Yemen entered the Arab Spring with severe national unity and state-capacity challenges. National unity collapsed in Yemen when the military fired on protestors and some soldiers and officers defected to the uprising. In addition, in Yemen, during the democratic transition, potent political parties never emerged to represent the secular youth who spearheaded the regime. Houthi rebels, the main challengers to the prior regime under Saleh’s rule, also felt left out of the transition process. Lastly, political parties also failed to forge consensus on conflicts between the former North Yemen and South Yemen, which prevented a democratic bargain or political pact. Yemen was also the poorest country in the region making it exceptionally vulnerable to socioeconomic challenges.
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- Information
- The Arab WinterDemocratic Consolidation, Civil War, and Radical Islamists, pp. 211 - 248Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2020