The Opposition Group in Yemen Elected an Umbrella Council

The opposition group in Yemen elected an umbrella council on 17 August 2011 to take over power from President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who is in Riyadh. He has been there for the past 10 weeks recovering from a bomb balst. The umbrella council consists of 143 members and it is named National Council for the Forces of the Peaceful Revolution. The council was elected by around 800 representatives of diverse opposition groups. Those elected will choose 20 members to make up an executive committee.

The National Council will lead the forces of the revolution, determined to remain there until Ali Abdullah Saleh’s departure.The council groups the parliamentary parties of the Common Forum, which comprises the influential Islamist party Al-Islah (reform), with the young protesters at the forefront of anti-regime protests since January 2011.

In addition to those groups, the new council also comprises representatives of civil society, members of the secessionist Southern Movement, the northern Shiite Huthi rebels and independent activists.