Commentary Soil That Hinders Growth: Youth Engagement in Political Parties in Taiz

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Young people make up the largest demographic group in the Arab world, and were the driving force behind the 2011 mobilization demanding systemic reform and the rebuilding of state institutions. This was particularly true in Yemen. Yet, despite their significant influence that year, decision-making remained in the hands of the elites. Young people were rapidly and systematically excluded, even from advisory roles, leaving them increasingly disillusioned about the country’s future. Ninety-eight percent reported that they were not consulted on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) initiative — a defining accord at the time — fueling deep frustration and resentment among the very generation that sparked change, the effects of which still reverberate today.

Against this backdrop, examining youths’ political participation in Taiz provides an insightful perspective on the challenges of youth inclusion in Yemen. Once a stronghold of activism and civic involvement, Taiz now faces a profound decline in political engagement. Political parties remain the primary players, but despite their rhetoric portraying youth as the hope for change, the language of inclusion rings hollow. This article addresses the status quo and provides an overview of youth participation in Taiz, highlighting the challenges, breakthroughs, and opportunities for achieving more genuine inclusion.

Symbolic Participation, Limited Influence

Talk of youth participation in Yemen rarely goes beyond empty slogans and checklists for civil society agendas. A staggering 78 percent of Yemeni youth believe that political parties do not provide substantive roles for young members, despite recognizing that youth inclusion in decision-making structures could prove to be a lifeline for renewing political life. As Yemen’s crisis intensifies and state institutions crumble, most parties have lost their compass for effective action and internal renewal.

Despite its ongoing political crisis, Taiz has historically been considered a beacon in the country’s civic and political map, widely regarded as the civil, intellectual, and historical capital of Yemen’s political life. The absence of significant tribal weight compared to other regions made it a center for modern political party life. But with the onset of conflict, the governorate paid a heavy human and political price. The war turned Taiz into an open combat theater, with neighborhoods besieged and shelled, and its infrastructure damaged on an unprecedented scale. Taiz’s younger generations unexpectedly found themselves at the forefront of political and humanitarian conflict, becoming bolder in their expression and more involved in local and national initiatives.

Yet, regardless of their party affiliation, people under 30 share the same bleak standing within the organizational structures and policy-setting circles to which they belong. A party member of the Student Sector for the Taiz branch of the Nasserist Unionist People’s Organization noted that the political environment is fragile and “governed by instincts rather than principles.”^[1] This environment, he emphasized, breeds a culture that prioritizes loyalty over opportunity, leaving little room for critical or free-thinking youth to find a foothold without neutering their ideas. Another young party member from the Yemeni Congregation for Reform (Islah) concurred, saying, “the role of youth in Yemeni parties combines symbolism with limited impact. Young people are primarily utilized for activities such as canvassing, mobilization, charity work, seminars, and recruitment. But their involvement in actual decision-making remains peripheral due to the dominance of veteran leadership and the absence of genuine will to empower them.”^[2]

The situation for women is even worse. Existing patriarchal structures now mix with heightened protection measures in an environment perceived as increasingly unsafe.^[3] Women in leadership positions thus remain almost nonexistent.

Stuck in the Past

Amid the intersection of frontlines and political pathways in Taiz, the road for young people aspiring to effect change within political parties remains unpaved. Decision-making positions are often monopolized by leaders who are well past their fifties, rendering upward mobility within party ranks a deferred dream for most young members. There are no regulations that mandate a quota for youth participation. Instead, promotion depends on a lengthy hierarchical climb that may take 10-15 years to reach senior posts. Additionally, internal factions and power cliques — which may align along traditional vs. progressive, tribal vs. civic, or religious vs. secular lines— impede natural leadership renewal, often result in the ousting of young leaders who dare critique internal fragmentation, keeping decision-making hostage to elite bargains and sidelining capable youth.

Taiz might have a more predominantly civic character, but it remains part of a broader society governed by conservative and traditional value systems. “We are a tribal society governed by custom, which privileges age and seniority over youthful competence,” said the Nasserist party member.^[4] This entrenches a patriarchal leadership ethos within parties and poses an added hurdle for young aspirants. The broader social culture reinforces the argument that senior leadership should be the domain of the eldest and most experienced. Moreover, most parties in Taiz lack clear pathways for merit-based advancement of youth. Promotions are often tied to loyalty or regional or familial affiliation, rather than initiative or organizational performance—a form of soft exclusion that relegates youth to subordinate positions.

Further compounding the problem, the fierce military confrontations that have ravaged Taiz have weakened institutional structures and eliminated many civic and political spaces, with party offices burned or shuttered. This has curtailed political activity in favor of militarization. “The geographic fragmentation under multiple armed actors has made it difficult to coordinate and hold party meetings,” noted a youth party member from the Yemeni Socialist Party (YSP). This complex security mosaic hampers internal consultations and party elections — essential processes for youth advancement. It has also made political engagement risky due to the lack of legal and physical protection, trapping youth between their desire to engage and fear of repercussions.

Economic hardship further exacerbates this dilemma. Unemployment has risen from 14 percent before the war to 35 percent today, and poverty rates have surged to around 78 percent. This compels youth to prioritize survival, reducing their capacity and resources to engage in political activities. “These factors create a vicious cycle that dissipates youth efforts to no real outcome,”^[5] stated the youth member of the Islah party. Together, these interlocking challenges paint a bleak picture for the future of party politics. Yet youth — with their energy and initiative — could become the linchpin for rebuilding political life in Taiz, provided that a thorough reassessment of party structures is done and a genuine will to open doors to a new generation emerges.

Cracks in the Wall and Glimmers of Hope

There are, nonetheless, promising opportunities to engage youth in Taiz’s political life, and in Yemen as a whole. In smaller parties, such as the YSP, young members have taken on leadership positions. The party member from the Taiz branch of the YSP notes that its leadership ages range between 38 and 50. While this age group does not technically fall under the definition of youth, they are younger than other parties. At the national level, the Nasserist party has recently elected a significant percentage of young people to its central committee compared to other parties.

Discussions with young party members suggest that youth political awareness has evolved significantly since the 2011 uprising. Young people have become more conscious of the value of organization and collective action, and less inclined to demonstrate blind loyalty to party elders. Notably, digital platforms have been a “second revolution” for youth, granting them a voice and influence. Online spaces have enabled young people to bypass traditional channels and build new networks for advocacy and expression. This virtual space has helped cultivate influential and inspiring digital leadership, challenging the old elite’s monopoly on decision-making and injecting discussions of transparency, renewal, and fairness into some party circles.

International and local organizations have also provided technical and training support to many young cadres in areas such as leadership, public policy development, and conflict analysis. This has better equipped them politically. But sustaining this impact requires integrating these training programs into concrete empowerment pathways within parties, rather than limiting them to community service or development activities. Lessons must be learned from prior experience. The Taiz Political Parties Youth Coalition, established in 2021 by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) to strengthen the political participation of young party members in Taiz, did not achieve its intended objectives. While the training produced capable young party members, the follow-up primarily led to community projects rather than pathways to senior party leadership.

Let Them In

The absence of youth in Taiz’s political parties highlights the gap in representation. It mirrors a complex reality where entrenched party structures, ongoing conflict, and a generation’s aspirations intersect. Despite the elevation of some youth into leadership roles, the establishment of youth organizational frameworks, and partial engagement with independent initiatives, the prevailing political environment is still characterized by representation without influence and form without substance.

The greatest bet remains on the youth themselves: criticism alone will not yield an alternative, nor will discontent shift the compass. Young people must not only demand positions but also craft substance, reinvigorate the intellectual and political depth of parties, and push for a forward-looking discourse unburdened by a past that has exhausted everyone. At the same time, political parties must take responsibility for renewing their structures and empowering their youth through clear, practical steps. This can be achieved through the qualification and capacity-building of youth, linking political training programs to pathways to leadership, periodic and organized rotation of leadership positions, and empowering young women, and fair representation quotas within party structures. In parallel, protecting political activity is paramount and should involve coordination with local authorities and human rights organizations. This approach will ensure a minimum level of legal and security protection for youth, enabling them to work without fear of threats. Finally, leveraging the digital space is vital for supporting youth initiatives and transforming them into tools of pressure within party structures.

Through these steps, youth participation can evolve from a mere symbolic presence into a significant force for reshaping political life in Taiz and across Yemen, establishing a future where parties are revitalized with new blood capable of making a difference.

This photo essay was produced as part of the Yemen Peace Forum, a Sana’a Center initiative that seeks to empower the next generation of Yemeni youth and civil society activists to engage in critical national issues.