Legislatures are vital to new democracies and to date no democracy has survived without one. Exploring the dynamics and mechanisms that facilitate or weaken the role of the Parliament, the author reinforces the importance of placing Parliament in a context that shows how it reflects its socio-political suuroundings. This detailed analysis of the development of the elected legislative body in Yemen, from its establishment after unification in 1990, enables researchers to identify the similarities bewtween societies and also the crucial differences.
