PARLIAMENT INACTIVE BUT UPCOMING SPECIAL SESSION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 002335

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ARP FRANCESCHI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/16/2017
TAGS: PGOV YM
SUBJECT: PARLIAMENT INACTIVE BUT UPCOMING SPECIAL SESSION
MAY BE EXCITING

REF: A. SANAA 1634

B. SANAA 2153

C. SANAA 1859

Classified By: CDA Angie Bryan for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

SUMMARY
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1. (U) The current session of Parliament accomplished almost
nothing before its holiday recess. The most exciting moment
was when opposition members walked out in protest of draft
amendments to the country's electoral law. An expected joint
session in January to discuss the President's reform
initiative promises to be more exciting. While not
unexpected, the parliament's lack of action is disappointing,
particularly with regard to its failure move forward on
much-needed customs and counterterrorism laws. End Summary.

WHAT DIDN'T HAPPEN
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2. (C) The ROYG parliament went into recess in honor of the
Hajj season on November 27. The recess marked the end of the
first half of a Parliament session (which began on October
20) that has, thus far, been more distinguished by what it
has not accomplished than what it has. Islah party Member of
Parliament Shawqi al-Qadi described the session to an embassy
employee on December 17 as having been characterized by
"absenteeism" and "GPC domination" of the voting. Nabil
Basha, a parliamentarian from the ruling General People's
Congress (GPC),told poloff on December 10 that no
substantive legislation has been passed. This sentiment was
echoed by opposition Islah party Assistant Secretary General
Dr. Mohammed Al-Sadi, who told poloff on December 15 that the
majority of the current session had focused on reports from
various ROYG entities. In spite of the amount of time these
reports took up, Al-Sadi was unable to cite any items from
any of the reports that were of particular interest. Notably
absent from the parliament's proceedings was any action on
the controversial draft Unity Law (ref a). Equally absent
was any action on a much-needed customs law or a
counterterrorism law.

WHAT DID HAPPEN
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3. (C) In spite of the lack of concrete accomplishments, the
session was not without incident. The most exciting moment
came shortly before the recess when, on November 26, the
opposition Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) walked out over
controversial draft amendments to the electoral law that
would change the way in which the Supreme Council for
Elections and Referenda (SCER) members are selected (ref b).
The draft amendments to articles 19, 21, and 22 of the
Electoral Law, which were submitted by the cabinet on
November 25, were referred to committee.


4. (C) The only other moment of controversy, according to
Murad Zafir, Senior Program Director for the National
Democratic Institute in Yemen, came during debate over the
budget, particularly with regard to a request from the
Cabinet for a 1.5 billion dollar supplement to the current
year's spending that JMP and independent parliamentarians
refused to support. It was passed on November 13 by the GPC
majority. On a positive note, on November 6, a terrorism
finance law was introduced. It, unfortunately, has yet to be
brought to an open debate.

WHAT'S NEXT?
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5. (C) Parliament is scheduled to resume on February 1.
According to Basha, however, President Saleh will convene a
special joint session in January to discuss his proposed
amendments to the Constitution (ref c). These amendments,
currently being drafted by a GPC committee led by former PM
Abdulqader Bajammel, were announced by the President in
October. They are ostensibly aimed at decentralizing power,
but many observers believe that the amendments include
changes to the term lengths of the President and Members of
Parliament and a plan to move to "an entirely presidential
system." This special joint session in January promises to
be contentious as the opposition JMP stands ready to resist
the initiative. Al-Sadi told poloff on December 15 that the
opposition favors a parliamentary system of government and
sees the President's initiative as an attempt to concentrate
more power in his hands. Al-Sadi also noted that he and
other members of Islah suspect that the provision changing
the length of presidential terms of office is intended to
allow Saleh to run for two more terms as opposed to stepping

down. (Note: This is a common speculation among those who
watch Yemeni politics. End Note.)

COMMENT
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6. (C) The inactivity of this parliament, while not
unexpected, is disappointing. Yemen is in need of new
well-crafted laws in a number of areas. A customs law is one
of many things the ROYG will need if it is to reach its goal
of WTO accession. Its lack of strong and comprehensive
counterterrorism laws hinders CT cooperation. The
parliament's failure to act on these issues is symptomatic of
a weak legislature.
BRYAN