New Leader Elected in Yemen, Inherits 'Economy in Tatters'

(Image Source: Radio France ) BY BLAKE HANSON A monumental vote in Yemen ensures President Ali Abdullah Saleh is out. Voters rushed to the polls Tuesday to finish a revolution that began with anti-government protests and violent clashes. Here’s CNN... “A historic vote is underway in Yemen. The presidential election marks the end of Ali Abdullah Saleh’s 33-year reign. Voters have only one choice on the ballot: Saleh’s vice-president.” So are the elections a sign of a democratic future? The New York Times’ Laura Kasinof says even if it isn’t — the elections are a positive. “Though the election is hardly an exercise in democracy … it represents an important transitional moment for an impoverished nation mired in a conflict that has left its troubled economy in tatters and many people dead or wounded.” But a BBC Radio reporter says it’s possible Saleh will hold on to some power... “But even with him gone, the old President’s sons and nephews remain in control of the country’s military.” “It is a daunting list of tasks for Yemen’s new president to deal with.” And a writer for the BBC notes you can tell how the world feels about the Yemeni vote based on media coverage... “Press in the Middle East and Gulf region have praised the poll … Newspapers in Iran, however, criticised the election, seeing the hand of America and the West involved in the process.” What does this mean for the west? A writer for the Telegraph offers this analysis ... “From Washington's perspective, such a prolonged transition is vital if order is to be restored in a country that has become one of the main theatres of Islamist extremism.” Al Arabiya says even though Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi is the only name on the ballot, voter turnout is still crucial... “A high turnout would give Hadi the legitimacy he needs to carry out changes outlined in a U.S.-backed power transfer deal brokered by Yemen’s Gulf neighbors, including the drafting of a new constitution, restructuring the armed forces and preparing for multi-party elections in two years’ time.” Saleh is currently in the U.S. receiving treatment for burns from an assassination attempt last June. He is the fourth ruler to be removed in the Arab Spring...