Engineer Badr Basalmah, an adviser to the Yemeni president, said Yemen is entering a decisive phase in which the state is attempting to reclaim control of the political landscape through what he described as a process of “reverse engineering,” backed by close regional support and aimed at restoring the authority of law and institutions.
He said the recent presidential decisions affecting the eastern provinces marked a pivotal moment with far-reaching political implications that go to the heart of the state’s survival.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Basalmah said the decisions marked a qualitative shift by the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) from a posture of “absorbing reactions” to one of “shaping action” and initiative, a move that he said would strengthen the centralization of sovereign decision-making and prevent the state from fragmenting.
He stressed that Saudi Arabia’s supportive stance toward Yemen’s legitimate government and its decisions represents the cornerstone of the current stability equation, noting that this support should not be read as interference in favor of one party over another, but rather as part of a strategy aimed at regulating the pace of developments and preventing a slide into uncertainty.
Basalmah said the eastern provinces, particularly Hadhramaut and al-Mahra, are undergoing a delicate political phase that could shape the future form of the Yemeni state and lay the groundwork for a future federal model.
From managing balances to institutional sovereignty
According to Basalmah, the recent decisions by PLC Chairman Dr. Rashad al-Alimi cannot be viewed merely within a routine administrative framework. He stressed that they represent a pivotal step with profound political significance tied to the core of the state’s survival.
The importance of these decisions lies in the fact that they embody a qualitative transition by the council from absorbing reactions to producing action and initiative, he explained.
He described this as a “clear political message to domestic and external audiences that the state, in its constitutional and legitimate sense, holds the final say in managing its sovereign institutions, and that it must remain a unifying national umbrella rather than a field for division or exploitation outside the framework of the comprehensive national project.”
Basalmah added that the move represents, at a deeper level, an effort to fortify centralized sovereign decision-making and prevent the state from sliding toward fragmentation or transforming into isolated administrative and security enclaves.
The Saudi role is a cornerstone
He reaffirmed that Saudi Arabia’s support for legitimacy and its decisions are the cornerstone of the current efforts to establish stability, explaining that such support reflects a strategy aimed at controlling the situation and preventing a descent into the unknown.
He said the importance of this role is evident in entrenching what he described as a “golden rule” that partnership does not mean dominance, adding that support for the PLC is intended to de-escalate tensions and prevent the imposition of fait accompli policies by force of arms, particularly in strategically sensitive areas such as Hadhramaut and Mahra.
Basalmah said Saudi Arabia, through this approach, is redrawing the red lines that ensure all parties remain under the state's umbrella, while pushing political forces toward dialogue as the only viable option, rather than what he described as reckless adventures that could threaten regional security and Yemen’s social fabric.
Eastern provinces and the shape of the future state
Basalmah said that the eastern provinces, foremost among them Hadhramaut and Mahra, have become a decisive factor in the Yemeni equation and are undergoing a political transition that could shape the country's future.
He told Asharq Al-Awsat that a closer reading of developments points to growing social and political awareness in these provinces toward rejecting absolute subordination or sharp polarization.
What is unfolding in Hadhramaut does not fall within the scope of a fleeting regional movement, but rather within the context of laying the groundwork for a future federal state model, he remarked.
These provinces are seeking to secure their rights to manage their own affairs and protect their territories through national formations, such as the Nation’s Shield Forces, under the umbrella of constitutional legitimacy, Basalmah went on to say.
Current indicators suggest that the option of forced annexation has receded in favor of a path toward a consensual formula that guarantees administrative and security autonomy for regions within a unified, federal Yemen, he stated.
Yemen is witnessing a serious attempt at “reverse engineering” the political scene, where instead of factions imposing their reality on the state, the state, with close regional support, is seeking to reclaim the initiative and impose the logic of law and institutions, he warned.
This process represents a long-term battle requiring a high degree of political wisdom, he urged, stressing that the winner will be whoever aligns with the logic of the state and the interests of citizens, backed by international legitimacy and Arab support.
