Yemen Monitor/Aden/Exclusive:
The Southern Transitional Council (STC) has ignited a new political crisis within the Presidential Leadership Council. Its president and member of the Presidential Council, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, issued a series of appointment decisions for governmental and local positions, a move described as a direct challenge to the authority of the council’s chairman, Rashad al-Alimi.
The 11 decisions were issued just one day after Al-Alimi returned to the interim capital, Aden, accompanied by council member Major General Sultan al-Arada. According to political sources, the decisions included appointments in ministries, state bodies, and governorates, primarily aimed at empowering supporters of the STC.
A government official, in a statement to “Yemen Monitor,” said that Al-Zubaidi’s actions represent a “coup against the political partnership and its destruction.” The official added, “These decisions are meaningless and are reminiscent of the Houthi’s behavior when they imposed their lists on state institutions and the presidency.”
This escalation comes at a time when Al-Alimi, upon his return to Aden, was keen to emphasize the successes achieved by the Presidential Leadership Council and the government in economic and financial reforms. He had pointed to improvements in the currency’s value, the price of basic goods, the strengthening of the Central Bank’s independence, as well as efforts to combat corruption and improve public services.
