5 Foreword Along with millions of other Yemenis, I felt great pride when the flag of the united and democratic Republic of Yemen was raised by Presi­dent Ali Abdullah Saleh on May 22 nd , 1990. It was a moment of glory to see signs of a growing democracy with a multi-party system consisting of political movements of various back­grounds and affiliations. It resembled a major change in our lives, a change that we had to go through for a brighter future for our next generations. But I must admit that I had fears. I feared that the democratic experience of Yemen may fail and may turn to become more of an artificial image rather than a reality that we can feel and live. I knew that this democratic experience is new for Yemen. We were liv­ing in a one-party system in the north and another one in the south for decades. Change is always good, but it also requires caution. I am glad that after almost thirteen years, I can confidently say that we have absorbed the shock of change and started coping with the new situation. It is a one-way irreversible path towards more democracy and there could be no other alternative. There could be no turning back to the dark ages of a single-party rule, and we should work together to­wards even more democracy. The presidential elections of 1999, the local authorities elections of 2001 and the forthcoming parliamentary elections are an ample proof of Yemen’s commitment to democracy. The booklet"Political Parties in Yemen 1990- 2000" will inform its readers about the different experiences Yemen has undergone in its democratisation process. The efforts of the author, my friend Ahmed Al-Yemeni, should be appreciated, as they resemble the dedication of a Yemeni citizen to expose his country's experience-with all its negative