Arab Baath Socialist Party Re-Joins JMP
The Ba’ath Party previously withdrew from the JMP prior to Yemen’s presidential election, around the time the JMP came out with the proposal to convert to a parliamentary system (Novemeber 2005 I think.) .
The Arab Ba’ath Socialist party earlier this month presented a proposal to join the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP).
In a meeting held last Friday, the (JMP’s) Supreme Council agreed to accept on the Arab Ba’ath Socialist party’s proposal. This brings to six the number of the parties that currently form the oppositions (JMP).
In a press release of which sahwah.net received a copy of, the (JMP) Supreme Council Chairman Abdul Wahab Al-Anesi highly welcomed the Arab Ba’ath Socialist party to join (JMP), considering this a positive step in facing the upcoming challenges.
It further mentioned that (JMP) Supreme Council Chairman Abdul Wahab Al-Anesi praised the Arab Ba’ath Socialist party, mentioning its good work during the previous dialogues held by the People General Congress party (GPC) and the opposition parties.
Meanwhile, the report revealed that the meeting held by JMP and the Arab Baath Socialist Party criticized the government’s actions that aimed to turn down the party’s proposal to join the (JMP), considering this action by the ruling party a clear violation to its rights. It further condemned all forms of tampering and interfering headed by the (GPC) in the internal affairs of the opposition parties. It is worth mentioning that the Arab Ba’ath Socialist party was previously one of the most loyal parties to the ruling party.
The Joint Meeting Parties boycotted parliament sessions for one month in July, opposing the ruling party’s claim to form the Supreme Committee of Election and Referendum (SCER) according to their own agenda, assuring that such an act could add political and social tensions.
It further affirmed that such steps are early trends which will result in a non free parliamentary elections, which are supposed to be held early next year, demanding to reform the election system as a whole in accordance with the agreements signed between both sides, regarding SCER and recommendations suggested by the EU Election Observation Mission.
In order for the ruling party to put more pressure on the opposition JMP parties, it decided last month to form its own coalition of parties with the National Council for Opposition, Al-Ba’ath Arab Socialist National Party, Yemeni Association Party and Democratic September System. They all signed a strategic political coalition document, hoping that it could replace the JMP ‘s presence during the upcoming parliamentary elections.
