Yemen president not to extend term

02/02/2011| IslamWeb

Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemeni president, has backed down on a plan to rule his impoverished Arab country for lifetime after mass protests demanding his ouster.

According to president's announcement on Wednesday, he will freeze constitutional amendments that could see him re-elected for another term.

This move would bring an end to a three-decade rule when his current term expires in 2013.

Eyeing protests that brought down Tunisia's leader and threaten to topple Egypt's president, Saleh also vowed not to pass on the reins of power to his son.

"No extension, no inheritance, no resetting the clock," Saleh said during an emergency session of parliament and the consultative council ahead of a "day of rage" organized by civil society groups and opposition leaders for Thursday in all provinces.

Activists and opposition supporters have staged several protests in Sanaa, the capital, boldly asking for Saleh's removal and decrying reports he plans to install his son in power.

Yemen's biggest opposition party described the package of concessions by President Ali Abdullah Saleh, as positive on Wednesday but said a large opposition rally would go on as planned.

"We consider this initiative positive and we await the next concrete steps. As for our plan for a rally tomorrow, the plan stands and it will be organized and orderly," said Mohammed al-Saadi, undersecretary of the religious political, Islah party.

"This is a peaceful struggle through which the people can make their voices heard and express their aspirations," he added.

PHOTO CAPTION

Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh stands for the national anthem during a ceremony in the southern city of Taiz, in this May 22, 2010 file photo.

Al-Jazeera