A Woman Presidential Candidate in Yemen
SANAA: A Yemeni woman said yesterday she plans to run for president in the September 2006 election, making her the first female candidate to ever contest a presidential race in the country.
Sumaya Ali Rajaa, 45, unveiled her intention at the conclusion of a conference on the rights of Arab women.
Rajaa, who heads a Paris-based Yemeni-French cultural forum, told reporters that “the Yemeni woman has become qualified to take over the country’s presidency.”
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh announced last July that he would not run in the presidential vote set for September 2006.
Saleh’s ruling GPC party is to convene in mid-December to decide whether to accept his decision to leave the presidency. – DPA
Unfortunately I’ve been tainted by Hillary Clinton, and I don’t support women automatically because they are women. (Not that I can really support any one of the candidates, just an actually free and fair election.)
But it is a big step in general. Im not sure, but is this the first Arab woman presidential candidate? Before the USA even. So thats good. ew-rah Yemen. More on the candidate.
Somewhat related: Islah moderating.
