Yemen: State institutions support Al-Alimi in confronting the Southern Transitional Council's tensions
The Yemeni political scene is witnessing rapid developments amid escalating tensions within the Presidential Leadership Council. Official institutions and government departments have shown clear support for the Council's chairman, Dr. Rashad al-Alimi, in the face of what they describe as unilateral actions and escalation by the Southern Transitional Council. This institutional mobilization is an attempt to consolidate legitimacy and prevent the interim capital, Aden, from descending into administrative or military chaos that could jeopardize the gains of the recent political agreement.
Background of the conflict and challenges of the Presidential Leadership Council
Since its formation in April 2022, following the transfer of power from former President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, the Presidential Leadership Council's stated objective has been to unify the anti-Houthi front and rescue the Yemeni economy. However, the Council, which includes leaders with differing orientations, such as Aidarus al-Zubaidi, head of the Southern Transitional Council, has faced significant challenges in integrating military and security formations under the Ministries of Defense and Interior—a key provision of the Riyadh Agreement and the power transfer consultations.
The current tension stems from the Southern Transitional Council's desire to exert greater control over resources and decision-making in the southern governorates, a move that clashes with the vision of a federal state and the government's efforts to centralize sovereign decision-making and resource management to serve all Yemenis. This divergence has created a state of tension and conflict, which at times has escalated to threats of measures that could undermine the legitimate government's operations in Aden.
The importance and impact of institutional alignment
The support of Yemeni institutions for Al-Alimi is of paramount importance at this critical time for several fundamental reasons:
- Maintaining international legitimacy: The international community considers the Presidential Leadership Council to be the sole legitimate representative of Yemen, and any weakening of the head of the council weakens the Yemeni position in international forums and before donors.
- Economic stability: The government relies on the support of financial institutions and the central bank to control the exchange rate and provide services. Institutional division threatens a complete economic collapse in the liberated areas.
- Military cohesion: Any internal conflict within the legitimate components directly benefits the Houthi group, which exploits these gaps to strengthen its military and political fronts.
Regional and international repercussions
The impact of this dispute is not limited to Yemen; it extends to the wider region. The Arab coalition, led by Saudi Arabia, seeks to maintain the cohesion of the Presidential Council as the sole guarantor of a transitional phase that could lead to a comprehensive peace agreement. Therefore, the Yemeni institutions' moves to support al-Alimi align with the regional and international desire to establish stability and avert scenarios of internal fighting in Aden, which could return the Yemeni crisis to square one.
In conclusion, observers believe that this institutional alignment represents a strong message that the state and its institutions are the umbrella for all, and that solutions to political grievances, including the southern issue, must go through channels of dialogue and consensus within the frameworks of legitimacy, and not through escalation that may threaten the entire entity of the state.
