ABSTRACT
Parliaments are the only viable forum for political participation and representation at national level in less developed countries and act as councils capable of accommodating conflict and legitimizing the political system. This chapter presents the Yemeni Parliament as a case study of a new emerging legislature in transition towards democracy. It explores the dynamics and mechanisms that facilitate or weaken the role of the parliament. The chapter also explains the functions of the Yemeni Parliament and evaluates the extent to which it shapes politics. The establishment of the Yemeni Parliament coincided with the change in the world order associated with the predominance of Western liberalism following the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the ending of the Cold War influence. Where political institutions in the less developed countries (LDCs) have been the focus of analysis, parliaments have received low priority compared with other political components such as elites, charismatic leaders, political parties, bureaucracies and the military.
