This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/world-middle-east-17108117
The article has changed 16 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 2 | Version 3 |
---|---|
Yemen voters choose new leader to end Saleh rule | Yemen voters choose new leader to end Saleh rule |
(40 minutes later) | |
People in Yemen are voting to elect a new president to replace veteran leader Ali Abdullah Saleh. | People in Yemen are voting to elect a new president to replace veteran leader Ali Abdullah Saleh. |
Voters are expected to rubber-stamp Vice-President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi - the only candidate in Tuesday's poll. | Voters are expected to rubber-stamp Vice-President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi - the only candidate in Tuesday's poll. |
The poll comes after a year of violent anti-government protests in the Arabian peninsula's poorest country. | The poll comes after a year of violent anti-government protests in the Arabian peninsula's poorest country. |
Long queues formed early in the morning at polling stations in the capital Sanaa, protected by tight security measures. | Long queues formed early in the morning at polling stations in the capital Sanaa, protected by tight security measures. |
Violence continued on Monday, with at least one polling station attacked in the south. One person is said to have been killed. | Violence continued on Monday, with at least one polling station attacked in the south. One person is said to have been killed. |
'End of the Saleh era' | |
The separatist Southern Movement and the northern Shia rebels have called on people to boycott the poll. | The separatist Southern Movement and the northern Shia rebels have called on people to boycott the poll. |
But the main supporters of the uprising that began in January 2011 are backing Mr Hadi, whose election posters are prominently displayed in Sanaa. | |
He is from the south himself and has called for dialogue with the rebels there. | He is from the south himself and has called for dialogue with the rebels there. |
At a huge rally inside the Sanaa football stadium, I saw thousands of enthusiastic supporters chanting the name of Yemen's vice-President, Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. | |
For outsiders, it is hard to understand why anyone would get excited about such a demonstrably undemocratic election. | For outsiders, it is hard to understand why anyone would get excited about such a demonstrably undemocratic election. |
The vice-president is the only candidate - but that is not the point. This election is about making sure that Yemen's president for the last 33 years, Ali Abdullah Saleh, is gone for good. | The vice-president is the only candidate - but that is not the point. This election is about making sure that Yemen's president for the last 33 years, Ali Abdullah Saleh, is gone for good. |
Even with him gone, the old president's sons and nephews still control the military. | |
Large chunks of the country are in rebellion and al-Qaeda militants have recently taken control of two districts. | Large chunks of the country are in rebellion and al-Qaeda militants have recently taken control of two districts. |
And half a million children suffer from severe malnutrition. | |
It is a daunting list of tasks for Yemen's new president. | |
Husam Al-Sharjabi, a 37-year-old protester who recently formed the al-Watan opposition party, says the election is important because it puts a seal on the end of the Saleh era. | |
In a BBC interview, he acknowledged that al-Qaeda posed a real threat in the country. "It's a threat that has been exaggerated, but it must be taken seriously. | |
"We need to take a multi-faceted approach involving defence, diplomacy and development, to minimise the opportunities for these groups to recruit from the poor and disenfranchised." | |
The BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, in Sanaa, says the situation there is peaceful, and there is a lot of enthusiasm at the prospect of getting rid of the old president. | |
The election follows a deal brokered by Yemen's Gulf Arab neighbours. | The election follows a deal brokered by Yemen's Gulf Arab neighbours. |
Mr Saleh, who has been in office for 33 years, signed the agreement to step down - but only once a new president is elected. | Mr Saleh, who has been in office for 33 years, signed the agreement to step down - but only once a new president is elected. |
On Monday, he urged Yemenis to vote for Mr Hadi to ensure "a peaceful transition of power". | On Monday, he urged Yemenis to vote for Mr Hadi to ensure "a peaceful transition of power". |
According to the election rules, there is no minimum turnout for the vote to be valid. | According to the election rules, there is no minimum turnout for the vote to be valid. |
If only one person turns out to vote for him, Mr Hadi will still win. | |
The new leader will face a series of challenging tasks - an ongoing rebellion in large chunks of the country, al-Qaeda militants and also widespread malnutrition among children and severe drought. | |
More than 12 million people are eligible to vote. Ten million registered for the last vote in 2006 in addition to 2.2 million new voters. | |
The new president is due to stay stay in office for two years, when a further round of presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled. |