Yemen MPs threaten no confidence vote as new government lacks female reps

Four members of the Yemeni Parliament on Sunday warned that they would vote against granting confidence to the new government, formed on Friday evening, over its lack of representatives from the Tihama region as well as female ministers.

In a letter addressed to President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, lawmakers Sakhr Al-Wajih, Abdul Karim Al-Aslami, Mufaddal Al-Abara and Shawqi Al-Qadi said they had been surprised by the marginalisation of the Tihama region and its exclusion from the new cabinet, noting that the region includes four governorates; Al-Hudaydah, Hajjah, Raymah and Al-Mahwit.

The lawmakers also objected to the absence of female ministers from the new cabinet, despite the fact that it has been formed based on the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference, which stipulates to achieve “representation of at least 30 percent women in high offices, elected bodies and in the civil service”.

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The parliamentarians said they hoped these two grave mistakes that violate the principle of partnership and contradict the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference are avoided, adding that they would use their constitutional and legal right to object to this marginalisation and exclusion.

Informed sources said the representatives’ letter will be circulated to other lawmakers in an effort to include their names before it is presented to Hadi.

Last Friday, President Hadi issued a decision to form a new government headed by Muin Abdul-Malik and which includes the membership of 24 ministers.