Aden, Yemen – In a dramatic development that threatens to collapse the legitimate authority in Yemen, four members of the Presidential Leadership Council announced on Tuesday their categorical rejection of the recent decisions made by the council’s head, Rashad al-Alimi. They described these decisions as “unilateral” and in violation of the constitution and the declaration of the transfer of power.
The Big Four alliance against “unilateralism”
Major General Aidarus al-Zubaidi, Major General Abu Zara’a al-Mahrami, Major General Faraj al-Bahsani, and Lieutenant General Tariq Saleh issued a strongly worded joint statement expressing their deep concern over the actions taken by al-Alimi, which included:
Declaring a state of emergency unilaterally.
Launching “dangerous” political and security descriptions.
The claim that the United Arab Emirates was expelled from the Arab coalition and from Yemeni territory.
The illegality of the decisions: “Al-Alimi violated the consensus.”
The four members explained in their statement that what was issued by the head of the council constitutes “a clear violation of the declaration of the transfer of power.” They emphasized the following legal points:
Collective leadership: The leadership council is a collective body whose decisions are made by consensus or majority vote, and its chairman does not have the right to make sovereign or crucial military decisions unilaterally.
Lack of constitutional basis: Any decisions issued outside the collective framework lack legality, and Al-Alimi alone bears full responsibility for their repercussions.
The fate of the alliance: “Not up to personal whims”
Regarding the relationship with Abu Dhabi, the joint statement settled the debate surrounding the president’s powers. The statement affirmed that “no individual or entity, within or outside the Council, has the authority to expel any member state of the Arab Coalition or terminate its role.” The statement further indicated that the UAE’s presence is governed by regional frameworks, alliances, and international agreements that “are not subject to whims or individual decisions.”
A look at the scene: Al-Alimi in “isolation”
Observers believe that this joint statement, which includes the main military forces on the ground (the Southern Transitional Council, the Giants Brigades, Tariq Saleh’s forces, and the Hadrami Elite Forces), officially undermines Al-Alimi’s authority, rendering his recent decisions meaningless. This places the “legitimate” government in an existential predicament and creates a direct clash between the council’s leadership and its field majority.
