Yemen’s President announces he will not run again

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh announced on Wednesday that he will not run for re-election in 2013, one day after President Hosni Mubarak said he would not run in Egypt’s September elections. President Saleh’s announcement comes after anti-government protesters staged the largest demonstrations witnessed during his 32-year presidency in the capital of Sana. The opposition and anti-government protesters were skeptical of the announcement by Saleh, who has made similar statements in 2005 only to change his mind and be re-elected to a seven-year term in 2006. Saleh made further concessions by delaying elections in order implement better voting records, created a fund for university graduate employment and social security coverage, increased wages and lowered income taxes. While organizers called the concessions positive, they will still go ahead with mass demonstrations on Thursday. The Yemeni government has helped to stage counter-protests by helping Yemenis from supportive regions to Sana, where abut 500 pro-government supporters have already gathered.

New York Times