Ahmad bin Mubarak, the Prime Minister of Yemen’s internationally recognised government, has resigned, citing his inability to exercise constitutional authority amid escalating tensions with the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC).
Bin Mubarak made the announcement on Saturday via social media, posting on X that he had formally met with PLC chief Rashad al-Alimi to tender his resignation. The post included his resignation letter, in which he expressed frustration over his limited powers and the internal gridlock that hindered his ability to implement reforms.
“I could not exercise my constitutional powers and take the necessary decisions to reform government institutions or implement rightful governmental changes,” the letter stated.
Bin Mubarak’s departure comes less than three months after his appointment on February 5, and marks the latest chapter in Yemen’s fractured political landscape. Two ministers and a member of the PLC, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Bin Mubarak had been locked in months of fierce disputes with Alimi and other senior figures.
Despite operating under a Saudi-backed leadership coalition, the internationally recognised government has struggled to exert control since Houthi rebels, aligned with Iran, seized the capital Sana’a in 2014. The government was forced to relocate to the southern city of Aden, while the Houthis now control most of the country’s key population centres.
Bin Mubarak, a longtime critic of the Houthis and former Yemeni ambassador to the United States, was kidnapped by the rebel group in 2015. He later held roles as Yemen’s chief of staff, UN envoy, and foreign minister before becoming prime minister.
During his short tenure, he launched a campaign against government corruption, reportedly suspending the budgets of several ministries, including defence. He also introduced fiscal and administrative reforms. However, these moves are said to have deepened rifts within the government.
“Bin Mubarak wanted to be more than prime minister, he wanted the powers of the presidency. That aspiration isolated him politically,” said Mohammed al-Basha, a Yemeni analyst at the US-based Basha Report Risk Advisory. “Over time, this power struggle eroded trust.”
The political infighting came as Yemen remains entangled in regional turmoil. The Houthis, currently waging a missile and drone campaign targeting Israel and international shipping routes, claim their attacks are in support of Palestinians amid the war in Gaza.
The United States resumed airstrikes on Houthi positions in March after the rebel group threatened renewed assaults over Israel’s Gaza aid blockade. This comes after a UN-negotiated truce in 2022 had significantly slowed hostilities in Yemen.
Though Bin Mubarak maintained that he achieved “many successes in a short space of time,” observers believe his resignation may help restore some degree of unity within the deeply fractured government.
“His departure should ease internal tensions and reduce the deep divisions that have plagued Yemen’s internationally recognised government, a necessary and positive step toward restoring cohesion,” Basha added.
