Opposition factions

According to Al Jazeera English, the deeply fractured opposition includes the Islah (Reform) Party, the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP), the al-Ahmar family, and various insurrection groups in the north and south. These groups include socialist, Islamist and tribal elements, with differing goals. Islah, which currently holds about 20 per cent of the seats in the legislature, includes some members of the Ahmar family, Yemen's Muslim Brotherhood, and Salafi preacher Abdul Majid al-Zindani, labeled a "specially designated global terrorist" by the United States. The JMP includes the Yemeni Socialist Party (YSP), Al-Haq, the Unionist party, and the Popular Forces Union party. The al-Ahmar sons, whose late father was a former leader of the Hashid tribal confederation, want power. The Houthis and Sanaa have fought in the north since 2004. The Southern Movement has temporarily dropped its calls for secession with calls for Saleh's ouster.[100]
[edit] Tactics

Students and human rights activists disagree with political parties regarding tactics for political change in Yemen. Some political parties are calling for reform to take place under President Saleh, while students and human rights activists wish to "channel the momentum of the uprisings in the region."[101] In late January, a lawyer and human rights activist involved in organising protests, Khaled al-Anesi, stated "There is a popular movement and a political movement in Yemen. But there is no support from the political parties for the popular movement, which is not organised. It is still weak and in the beginning stages."