Yemen: An Election Realignment

Yemen will hold elections Sept. 20 to elect a president and two levels of local government. President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his ruling General People's Congress will likely win — albeit with a thinner majority than before. Considered Yemen's first truly competitive vote, the elections not only have the potential to weaken the ruling party's hold on power but also to bring about a realignment of the main opposition Islamist Islah party.