Yemeni president wants to use the referendum process to amend constitution

President Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen on Wednesday issued a decree to start a people's referendum on February 20, 2000 concerning several constitutional amendments that avails him the power to desolve the parliament and extend his term of presidency.

The Yemeni news agency Sabaa said that registered voters estimated at 6 million will cast their voted in a general referendum on the draft constitutional amendments approved by the parliament in November. These voters will also in the same day cast their votes for the elections of local councils and the provinces.

In November, the Yemeni parliament approved to amend the constitution as so to avail the Yemeni President to solve the Parliament and extend his term of presidency to seven years instead of five years.

The amendments also stated extension of the of the parliament term from 4 years to 6 years. Constitutional amendments in Yemen need the approval of the Parliament before submitting it to a people's referendum.