After weeks of consultations in Riyadh, the Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), Yemen’s internationally recognised government, has announced a new cabinet, whose members have diverse political and regional affiliations, as part of efforts to govern the divided Arab nation.The move on Friday came weeks after the collapse and dissolution of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and withdrawal of United Arab Emirates forces from southern Yemen. The UAE-backed southern separatists briefly took over two Yemeni provinces bordering Saudi Arabia, drawing military action from Riyadh. The events have strained ties between the two regional powers.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listThe cabinet announcement has triggered mixed reactions and a war of words with some seeing a glimmer of hope and a step towards establishing government authority while others view it as a redistribution of power and wealth among the country’s rival elites.The 35-member cabinet, which has 10 more members compared with the previous cabinet, has representations from diverse professional backgrounds, including administration, economics, law and academia.Yaseen Al-Tamimi, a Yemeni political researcher, said the large size of the government represents a forced return to the era of what she called an “appeasement” policy, which attempts to placate different groups and regions.Although such a large number of ministries places a heavy burden on the budget, the current phase in the country necessitates this type of appeasement, Al-Tami …
