Since the last parliamentary elections held on April 27, 2003, the assembly has not been renewed, and the deaths, division, and prolonged civil war have turned the institution into an unrepresentative structure for younger generations.
According to Al Jazeera, millions of Yemenis who have reached voting age have never had the opportunity to go to the polls for a parliamentary election. Adham Fahd, a 28-year-old law graduate, was only five years old during the 2003 election and is still waiting to vote. 'A whole generation has grown up and has not had the chance to elect parliament members. Therefore, many young people do not think the current assembly represents them,' Fahd said.
Why have elections not been held for 23 years?
In the 2003 elections, 6.1 million of 8 million registered voters went to the polls, and 1,536 candidates from 22 parties and independents competed. The assembly's term, which was set to expire in 2009, was postponed for two years due to disagreements over election law between the ruling party and the opposition. Then the 2011 protests and transition process, the Houthi takeover of the capital Sanaa in 2014, and the ongoing war completely blocked new elections.
Political activist Akram al-Bujairi from Aden said that this long interruption has created a large representation gap between the assembly and society, that many deputies have lost ties with their constituencies, and that citizens' daily problems are not reflected in parliamentary discussions.
Constitutional extension deepens debate
Yemen's constitution sets the assembly's term at six years and allows it to continue in office under extraordinary circumstances until a new assembly is elected. Legal expert Abdul Rahman Barman said that extraordinary conditions can justify a temporary postponement, but that does not grant the assembly unlimited authority. 'This provision cannot be interpreted in a way that contradicts the principle of periodic elections and renewal of popular will,' he stated.
In response, deputy Shawqi al-Qadi argued that free and comprehensive elections cannot be held amid war and political-geographic division, maintaining that the assembly retains its legitimacy, but acknowledged that this situation has widened the gap with younger generations.
Assembly loses 60 members, numbers uncertain
According to an analysis published by the Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies in April 2025, 60 deputies have died since 2003. This represents about one-fifth of the assembly. The youngest living member is reported to be 47 years old.
Researchers estimate that 132 deputies are aligned with the internationally recognized government, 96 are close to Houthi-controlled areas, and 13 members remain in a political gray area. However, there is no up-to-date official member list, so these figures are not definitive.
While deputy al-Qadi claimed that pro-government deputies can secure a legal majority, legal expert Barman stressed that the quorum should be calculated based on living members; otherwise, decisions, especially on general laws and state institutions, become open to legal challenge.
Parliament divided between Sanaa and Aden
After the Houthi takeover of the capital in September 2014, deputies split; some remained in Sanaa while others joined the internationally recognized government. In April 2019, pro-government deputies held an extraordinary meeting in Seyun, Hadramut, electing Sultan al-Barakani as speaker and approving the 2019 budget. However, different sources gave varying numbers of deputies in attendance, ranging from 118 to 141.
The assembly last convened in Aden on April 19, 2022, hosting the swearing-in ceremony of the Presidential Council members. That session remained exceptional and did not become regular. As of June 2026, the speaker and group leaders were still discussing preparations for a new session through online meetings after more than four years.
Oversight function almost completely suspended
The Yemeni parliament's powers to legislate, approve the budget and final accounts, and oversee the executive have largely been unused due to the lack of regular sessions. Al-Qadi said some deputies have individual contact with the government and relevant institutions, but this does not replace institutional work. Parliamentary committees encounter obstacles when trying to reach public institutions and investigate financial files.
Activist al-Bujairi stated that while war makes elections impossible, it does not justify the assembly's inactivity, while legal expert Barman noted that the failure to approve the budget and final accounts in recent years has weakened transparency in public finance and the tools to fight corruption.
Could partial elections be a solution?
Although partial elections to replace deceased deputies in government-controlled areas have been occasionally discussed, the fact that some vacant seats are in Houthi-held areas, massive displacement, and voter registers not updated for over twenty years pose serious obstacles.
Barman said that partial elections are possible in principle, but require legal, security, and administrative guarantees as well as a national consensus that does not deepen division. Deputy al-Qadi expressed that the priority is to establish a secure assembly center in Aden, regularize sessions, and activate committees, and that general elections could be considered after stability is achieved.
Impact of 23 years without elections on young generation
In the 23 years since the last elections, millions of Yemenis have reached voting age. One-fifth of the parliament has died, the remaining members are split between two authorities and different regions, and the institution's capacity to convene and oversee the government has largely disappeared. Barman stated that restoring the assembly's legitimacy requires political consensus for a comprehensive and transparent national election, while al-Bujairi summarized the issue by saying, 'Yemen needs not just a parliament that retains its name, but an institution that legislates, oversees, and holds accountable.'
