On the morning of July 17, 1978, while the country was experiencing one of its most turbulent phases, the eyes of the Yemeni people turned to the hall of the Constituent People's Assembly, anticipating the outcome of the situation in light of the bleak political vacuum and the chaos left behind by assassinations of his previous predecessors and conflicts between South and North of Yemen the domestic instability.
On the day, Lieutenant Colonel Ali Abdullah Saleh was elected President of the Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, thus beginning a new chapter in Yemen's history.
He took over amidst extremely complex circumstances that made the presidency a deadly adventure, one few dared to undertake.
The road ahead was not paved with roses. Rather, he began his mission amid stifling economic crises, internal rebellions where areas outside the capital city Sanaa wee out of state's control.
Nevertheless, Saleh began to recalibrate the state's compass, establishing security, restoring the mandate of State institutions, and successfully bringing together the conflicting political groups under a unifying political umbrella named by the General People's Congress with its National Charter.
His mission was not limited to establishing state control and security; rather, he adapted a gradual path toward democracy.
For the first time, Yemenis were introduced to the practice of actual elections, in presidential, legislative, and local elections, giving citizens a sense of participation in decision-making.
Observers assert that July 17 was not merely a passing political event, but rather a pivotal moment that heralded the beginning of an era of national coexistence and the true beginning of the modern state project in Yemen.
President Saleh’s journey culminated on May 22, 1990, with the declaration of a unified Yemen, ending decades of partition and conflict between North and South Yemen. A historic achievement unprecedented in the Arab world. Despite challenges and conspiracies, Saleh maintained the country's unity and stability until he decided to leave power through in 2012. A move described at the time as an embodiment of the principle of the peaceful transfer of power.
Even after his departure from power, the late president continued to lead the General People's Congress (party.
He remained an influential figure in political life of Yemen until his assassination in December 2017, while resisting the Houthi rebels armed coup.
More than four decades after that pivotal day, millions of Yemenis still remember his courage and recall the moment he moved forward from a young army officer into a political leader and statesman whose name was etched in the nation's memory as one of the most prominent figures who restored its balance during moments of collapse.