is director of the Sheba Centre for Strategic Studies
. Associate dean of the Yemen College of Middle Eastern Studies and associate professor of politics at Sana'a University, he holds a PhD in politics from the University of Exeter. He has written extensively on governance and state-society rela...
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Complex power relations in Yemen provide opportunities for al-Qaeda
Ahmed Abdelkareem Saif
, 9 February 2010
Yemen's problems have frequently been ascribed to neocolonialism, regional politics and domestic power struggles. Though these factors are contributory, they are only the tip of the iceberg. The real problems are endemic and deeply rooted in the nature of society and the evolution of the state. Although modern political institutions exist in Yemen, such as a supreme court, parliament, political parties, trade unions and a free press, these institutions do not necessarily operate as might be expected.
In fact, what exists in Yemen is merely a despotic authority, where decision-making usually takes place outside the formal institutions. The weakness of the state limits its capacity to penetrate society, creating a void that has been filled by intermediaries who benefit from the regime’s durability. These intermediaries also play a crucial role in the survival of the regime by controlling the peripheries.
