The Sana'a Conference and the Houthis: An Analysis of the Reality of Political Subordination and the Future of the Party
Amid the ongoing complexities of the Yemeni political landscape, the Sana'a-based wing of the General People's Congress party continues to fuel controversy regarding its relationship with the Houthi movement (Ansar Allah), facing repeated accusations of capitulating to imposed dictates. This comes at a time when there are growing indications of the party's diminishing role as a genuine political partner and its gradual transformation into a political cover for the actions of the group controlling the capital.
Historical context: From partnership to dependency
To understand the nature of what is happening today within the halls of the General People's Congress in Sana'a, it is necessary to return to the historical background that shaped this reality. Since the assassination of former President and party founder Ali Abdullah Saleh in December 2017 by the Houthis, the party has been subjected to a violent upheaval that led to its division into several factions. The faction that remained in Sana'a found itself under immense security and political pressure, forcing its leaders to adopt positions aligned with the de facto authority in order to preserve their existence and avoid the persecution that befell many of the party's members.
This stage constituted a radical turning point, as the party moved from the position of decision-maker or equal partner to the position of subordinate who merely issues statements of support and blessing for Houthi decisions, which observers describe as a continuous “series of submission.”.
Mechanisms of political marginalization and party erosion
Political and human rights reports indicate that the Houthi group has systematically dismantled state institutions and the General People's Congress party in the areas under its control. This is achieved by appointing supervisors loyal to the group to key positions within the party and pressuring traditional leaders to adopt the group's religious and political discourse. This tactic has not only emptied the party of its national character but has also led to the isolation of its internal leadership from its popular base, which now perceives their positions as demonstrably politically ineffective.
Local and regional impacts of this path
The continued adherence of the Sana'a Conference to this approach has serious repercussions for the future of the political process in Yemen. Domestically, this weakness leads to the absence of genuine political pluralism in northern Yemen, thus entrenching one-party rule and eliminating any remaining democratic space.
Regionally and internationally, this situation complicates the efforts of the UN envoy and international mediators. The fact that a long-established party like the General People's Congress is beholden to the Houthis makes it difficult to treat it as an independent party in any future peace negotiations, as it is currently viewed as part of the Houthi delegation rather than as an independent political entity with a distinct national vision.
In conclusion, the current situation seems to confirm that the so-called “Sanaa Conference” has lost much of its power, and that restoring its leading role requires radical changes in the balance of power, which seems far from being attainable in light of the iron grip that the Houthi group imposes on political life in Sanaa.
