Yemen's parliament has not been renewed since the last parliamentary elections on April 27, 2003, and deaths, division and the prolonged civil war have turned the institution into a structure that does not represent younger generations.
According to Al Jazeera, millions of Yemenis who have reached voting age have never been able to cast a ballot in a parliamentary election in their lives. Adham Fahd, a 28-year-old law graduate, was only five years old during the 2003 election and is still waiting to vote today. Fahd said, "An entire generation has grown up and never had the chance to elect members of parliament. That is why many young people do not think the current parliament represents them."
Why have elections not been held for 23 years?
In the 2003 elections, 6.1 million of the 8 million registered voters went to the polls, and 1,536 candidates from 22 parties and independents competed. The parliament's term, which was supposed to end in 2009, was postponed for two years due to disagreements between the government and the opposition over the election law. Then the 2011 protests and transition period, the Houthi takeover of the capital Sanaa in 2014, and the ongoing war completely blocked the path to new elections.
Political activist Akram al-Bujairi in Aden said this long hiatus has created a huge representation gap between the parliament and society, with many lawmakers losing ties with their constituencies and citizens' daily problems not reflected in parliamentary debates.
Constitutional extension deepens debate
Yemen's constitution sets the parliament's term at six years and allows it to continue its duties under extraordinary circumstances until a new parliament is elected. Legal expert Abdul Rahman Barman stated that extraordinary conditions could justify a temporary postponement but this does not grant unlimited authority to the parliament, saying, "It is not possible to interpret this provision in a way that contradicts the principle of periodic elections and the renewal of popular will."
In response, lawmaker Shawqi al-Qadi argued that free and comprehensive elections cannot be held amid war and political-geographic division, maintaining that the parliament retains its legitimacy, but acknowledged this widens the gap with younger generations.
Parliament lost 60 members, numbers unclear
According to an analysis published by the Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies in April 2025, 60 lawmakers have died since 2003. This accounts for roughly one-fifth of the parliament. The youngest living member is reported to be 47 years old.
Researchers estimate that 132 lawmakers are aligned with the internationally recognized government, 96 are close to Houthi-controlled areas, and 13 members remain in a political gray zone. However, these figures are not definitive as no current and official member list exists.
Lawmaker al-Qadi suggested that pro-government deputies can secure a legal majority, while legal expert Barman emphasized that the quorum should be calculated based on living members; otherwise, decisions, especially on general laws and matters concerning state institutions, would be open to legal challenge.
Parliament split between Sanaa and Aden
After the Houthis seized the capital in September 2014, lawmakers split; some remained in Sanaa while others sided with the internationally recognized government. In April 2019, pro-government lawmakers held an extraordinary session in the city of Seyun in Hadramaut, electing Sultan al-Barakani as parliament speaker and approving the 2019 budget. However, different sources gave varying figures for the number of lawmakers attending the session, ranging from 118 to 141.
The parliament last convened in Aden on April 19, 2022, hosting the swearing-in ceremony of Presidential Council members. That session remained exceptional and did not lead to regular meetings. As of June 2026, the parliament speaker and group leaders were still discussing preparations for a new session through online meetings, after more than four years.
Oversight function almost entirely suspended
Yemen's parliament has largely been unable to exercise its powers of legislation, approving the budget and final accounts, and overseeing the executive, due to the inability to hold regular sessions. Al-Qadi said some lawmakers maintain contact with the government and relevant institutions on an individual level, but this does not replace institutional work. Parliamentary committees reportedly face obstacles in reaching public institutions and investigating financial files.
Activist al-Bujairi stated that while war makes elections impossible, it does not justify the parliament's inactivity, while legal expert Barman noted that the failure to approve budgets and final accounts in recent years has weakened transparency in public finances and anti-corruption tools.
Could partial elections be a solution?
Holding partial elections in government-controlled areas to replace deceased lawmakers has occasionally been discussed, but the fact that some vacant seats are in Houthi-held areas, widespread displacement, and voter rolls not updated for over two decades pose serious obstacles.
Barman said partial elections are possible in principle but require legal, security and administrative guarantees as well as a national consensus that would not deepen division. Lawmaker al-Qadi, on the other hand, stated that the priority is to establish a secure parliamentary headquarters in Aden, regularize sessions, and activate committees, with general elections to be considered after stability is achieved.
The impact of 23 years without elections on the younger generation
In the 23 years since the last elections, millions of Yemenis have reached voting age. One-fifth of the parliament has died, remaining members are scattered between two authorities and different regions, and the institution's capacity to convene and oversee the government has largely disappeared. Barman stated that restoring parliamentary legitimacy requires political consensus for a comprehensive and transparent national election, while al-Bujairi summarized the issue by saying, "Yemen does not need a parliament that only keeps its name; it needs an institution that makes laws, oversees, and holds to account."
