Yemeni President Says He Won’t Seek Another Term

Yemen‘s president told parliament on Wednesday he will not seek another term in office or hand power to his son — an apparent reaction to protests in this impoverished nation that have been inspired by Tunisia‘s revolt and the turmoil in Egypt.

The U.S.-allied Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has been in power for nearly 32 years, spoke to lawmakers in both houses of the assembly on the eve of mass rallies that the opposition has called for Thursday in all Yemeni provinces.

“I won’t seek to extend my presidency for another term or have my son inherit it,” Mr. Saleh told the parliament.

Mr. Saleh has earlier tried to defuse simmering tensions in Yemen by raising salaries for the army and by denying opponents’ claims he plans to install his son as his successor.

But that hasn’t stopped critics of his rule from taking to the streets of the capital, Sanaa. In January, tens of thousands gathered in days of demonstrations, boldly calling for Mr. Saleh to step down — a red line that few dissenters had previously dared to cross here.

Mr. Saleh‘s current term in office expires in 2013 but proposed amendments to the constitution could let him remain in power for two additional terms of ten years.

After the Tunisian revolt, which forced that country’s president to flee into exile, and the mass protests in Egypt calling for the end of President Hosni Mubarak‘s 30 year-long rule, Mr. Saleh ordered income taxes slashed in half and instructed his government to control prices. He deployed anti-riot police and soldiers to several key areas in Sanaa and its surroundings to prevent riots.

But the street protests, led by opposition members and youth activists, continued, adding to the threats to Yemen‘s stability.

In the parliament Wednesday, Mr. Saleh called upon the opposition to meet for a dialogue on political reforms and their demands.

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