73 Strengths • Over twenty years of experience as the ruling party of South Yemen; • YSP is Yemen’s only party of the left and its liberal ideology still has appeal among certain intellectuals, party cadres, and women; • YSP still remains the national party of the south of Yemen and continues to have strong support in these regions; • New Political Program and YSP documents which were ratified at the 1998 General Conference and serve to make YSP a more liberal and democratic party; • A promising reformist element within the party appears to be gaining strength. Weaknesses • Severe financial crisis; • Leadership vacuum as many key party leaders fled away from Yemen during and after the 1994 war; • Destabilising rift in the party between the hard-line old guards and liberal, democratic reformers; • A legacy of distrust between the YSP and the government which results in intense pressure from the government; • Party has never been able to affect a peaceful change in its leadership; • Since 1994, the YSP has not been able to practice openly its ac­tivities without fear of harassment or obstacles from the gov­ernment. However, the party may need assistance in these areas. It identifies its priorities, which are as follows: