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Yemenis vote in crucial election Yemenis vote in crucial election
(about 10 hours later)
Yemenis are voting in presidential and local elections being seen as a test of the government's commitment to reform. Yemenis have voted in presidential elections that are seen as a test of the government's commitment to reform.
Four candidates are running against President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has been in power for 28 years. Four candidates are standing, including the incumbent Ali Abdullah Saleh, but he faces his first serious electoral challenge after 28 years in office.
The main challenger is Faisal Bin Shamlan, who says tackling corruption will be his main priority if elected.The main challenger is Faisal Bin Shamlan, who says tackling corruption will be his main priority if elected.
Security is tight after the authorities said last week they had foiled a pair of apparently co-ordinated suicide attacks against oil installations. Voting was steady and mainly peaceful, though reports say three people were killed in a clash between supporters.
The authorities say 100,000 security personnel have been deployed. Witnesses said the fighting happened at a polling station that had been closed prematurely near the capital Sanaa.
About 100 European observers are monitoring the vote, which started at 0800 local time (0500 GMT). href="/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/middle_east_yemeni_voters_speak_/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/middle_east_yemeni_voters_speak_/html/1.stm', '1158747372', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=500,height=400,left=312,top=100'); return false;">Yemenis discuss the election candidates and issues href="/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/middle_east_yemeni_voters_speak_/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/middle_east_yemeni_voters_speak_/html/1.stm', '1158747372', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=500,height=400,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >In pictures The BBC's Heba Saleh in Sanaa says western donors are watching the polls closely.
Mr Saleh cast his vote early. "The Yemeni people are the victorious ones," he said. If they are seen to be peaceful and reasonably democratic, donors could increase international aid, which the government says is needed to tackle Islamist militancy.
Crucial vote Security has been tight at the 5,500 polling stations, with 100,000 security personnel deployed throughout the country.
The BBC's Heba Saleh, reporting from Sanaa, says the elections could prove crucial for the future of Yemen's relations with the West. About 100 European observers were monitoring the vote, which started at 0800 local time (0500 GMT) and was scheduled to end at 1800 (1500 GMT).
The country is an ally in the US administration's "war on terror". But some accuse it of not doing all it could to stamp out the presence of the militant Islamist group al-Qaeda on its territory. 'Voters' victory'
href="/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/middle_east_yemeni_voters_speak_/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/middle_east_yemeni_voters_speak_/html/1.stm', '1158747372', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=500,height=400,left=312,top=100'); return false;">Yemenis discuss the election candidates and issues href="/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/middle_east_yemeni_voters_speak_/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/middle_east_yemeni_voters_speak_/html/1.stm', '1158747372', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=500,height=400,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >In pictures Many men arrived to vote in traditional clothes and with daggers in their belts while women - there are 3.9 million registered in an electorate of 9.25 million - turned up clothed from head to toe in black.
But Yemen is poor and has few resources. Officials in Sanaa argue they cannot win against al-Qaeda without substantial development aid. They stood in separate lines for booths and were searched by female police officers.
They say prosperity, jobs and investments are needed to prevent the radicalisation of Yemeni youth. Incumbent Ali Abdullah Saleh faces a serious challengeMr Saleh cast his vote early, saying the real victor in the polls was the Yemeni people.
But international donors do not want to pour funds into a dictatorship which corruption is rife, our correspondent says, and much may depend on the conduct of the election. "Today is a real celebration of Yemen's democracy as we set the foundations for Yemen's future in peaceful alternation of power," Mr Saleh told reporters as he cast his ballot.
European observers are monitoring the election and if they judge it to have been reasonably democratic, that could dramatically improve relations with foreign donors. A coalition of opposition parties supporting Mr Shamlan, a former oil minister, accuses the ruling party of forging voter lists, and intimidating and arresting his supporters.
Stinging slogan The other two candidates in the race are socialist party candidate Ahmed al-Majidi and Fathi al-Azab, who has urged his supporters to vote for Mr Shamlan.
BBC Arab affairs analyst Magdi Abdelhadi says that only one the four challengers to Mr Saleh, veteran politician Faisal Bin Shamlan, is a serious rival. Mr Shamlan's slogan, "a president at the service of Yemen, not Yemen at the service of the president", is an allusion to the alleged cronyism and corruption around Mr Saleh.
Incumbent Ali Abdullah Saleh faces a serious challenge BBC Arab affairs analyst Magdi Abdelhadi says a transition to democracy is far ahead of some other countries in Arabia, although power still rests primarily with tribes, the army and religious leaders.
His slogan, "A president at the service of Yemen, not Yemen at the service of the president", is a stinging allusion to the alleged cronyism and corruption around Mr Saleh.
Yemen is one of the poorest countries in the world and a hotbed of militant Islam, Magdi Abdelhadi says.
It has the appearance of a modern state - an elected parliament and a cabinet - but in reality power rests with the tribe, the army and religious leaders.
Despite its drawbacks, transition to democracy in Yemen is far ahead of some of its Gulf neighbours, where the formation of political parties remains forbidden.