The Supreme Political Council (SPC; ) is an extraconstitutional rival executive established in 2016 in Sanaa by the Houthis and the pro-Houthi faction of the General People's Congress (GPC) to rule areas of Yemen under their control opposed to the internationally recognized Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) in Aden. The SPC carries out the functions of head of state in Yemen, appointing the country's cabinet and managing the Yemen's state affairs in a bid to fill in political vacuum during the Yemeni Civil War. The Council aims to outline a basis for running the country and managing state affairs on the basis of the constitution. Since 2018, the SPC has been headed by Mahdi al-Mashat as Chairman of the Council.
The SPC was formed on 28 July 2016 with an initial ten members and was headed by Saleh Ali al-Sammad as president and Qassem Labozah as vice-president. The members were sworn in on 14 August 2016, and the next day the Supreme Revolutionary Committee (SRC) handed power to the Supreme Political Council. After al-Sammad was killed in a drone strike on 19 April 2018, chairmanship of the SPC passed to Mahdi al-Mashat. Under the SPC is subordinate the Cabinet of Yemen, which it appoints and supervises government officials who oversee relevant ministries; since 2016 two governments have been established under the council. In 2016 the SPC appointed former Aden governor Abdel-Aziz bin Habtour to form a ministry known as the National Salvation Government (NSG). In September 2023 the NSG was dismissed and replaced by a caretaker administration which continued to be headed by Habtour. In August 2024 a Presidential resolution appointed Ahmad al-Rahawi as the head of a new ministry known as the 'Government of Change and Construction' (GCC). Eight days later the House of Representatives (in Sanaa) approved the cabinet and called for a 36-point 'general program'. However, on August 28, 2025 Israel launched Operation Lucky Drop, assassinating the Prime Minister amongst other government officials of the SPC. On August 30, 2025, after confirming the assassinations, the Houthis appointed Muhammad Ahmed Miftah as the new Prime Minister of the SPC. The assassination of the SPC's Defense Minister has not yet been confirmed by the Houthis.
The SPC remains internationally unrecognized compared to the PLC in Aden and is acknowledged only by Iran, with the Houthis placing an ambassador to Iran in August 2019. The formation of the SPC has been condemned by the international community; with the United Nations (UN) officially describing the act as "a clear violation of the Yemeni constitution" and denounced the council for sabotaging the Yemeni peace process.
Background In the wake of president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and prime minister Khaled Bahah resignations over Houthi rebels takeover of presidential palace in January 2015, Houthi leader Abdul Malik Al Houthi reportedly proposed a six-member "transitional presidential council" which would have equal representation from north and south, although this proposal was rejected by the Southern Movement. Nevertheless, on 1 February, the Houthis gave an ultimatum to Yemen's political factions warning that if they did not reach a solution to the current political crisis, then the Houthi "revolutionary leadership" would assume formal authority over the state. According to Reuters, political factions have agreed to form an interim presidential council to manage the country for up to one year. Former South Yemen president Ali Nasser Mohammed was originally being considered as a prospective interim leader, but Mohammed later declined the post.
On 6 February 2015, the Houthis formally assumed over authority in Sanaa, declaring the dissolution of House of Representatives and announced that a "presidential council" would be formed to lead Yemen for two years, while a "revolutionary committee" would be put in charge of forming a new, 551-member national council. This governance plan was later affirmed by Houthi Ansarullah politburo leader Saleh Ali al-Sammad as he said that national council would choose a five-member presidential council to govern the country.
Current members
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists the following members of the SPC:
Sr. No. Status Name 1 Chairman Mahdi al-Mashat 2 Vice Chairman Sadeq Amin Abu Rass 3 Prime Minister Muhammad Ahmed Miftah 4 Member Muhammad Ali al-Houthi 5 Member Jaber Abdullah Ghaleb Al-Wahbani 6 Member Mubarak Saleh Al-Mishn al-Zaidi 7 Member Sultan Ahmed Abd Rabbo al-Samei 8 Member Khaled Mohammed Saeed al-Dini 9 Member Salih Mabkhout al-Nuaimi
Cabinets
Government of Change and Construction (2024–present) On 10 August 2024, Ahmed al-Rahawi was appointed as prime minister of Yemen and tasked with forming a ministry known as the 'Government of Change and Construction' by the President of the Supreme Political Council Mahdi al-Mashat. Two days later the composition of the new government was announced in a presidential resolution. On 18 August 2024 the House of Representatives (San'aa) gave confidence to the government and called on it to follow a 36-point 'general program' prepared by a house of representatives special committee. The government and SPC continues to be internationally unrecognised in comparison with the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC).
On 28 August 2025, a series of Israeli airstrikes killed Rahawi and nine other ministers. Government of Change and Construction Portfolio (ministries) Minister Term start Term end Prime Minister of YemenAhmed al-Rahawi10 August 202428 August 2025Muhammad Ahmed Miftah30 August 2025IncumbentFirst Deputy Prime Minister12 August 202430 August 2025Deputy Prime Minister for Defence and Security AffairsLt-General Jalal Ali Ali Al-Rowaishan12 August 2024IncumbentDeputy Prime Minister for Administration, Local and Rural DevelopmentMohamed Hassan Ismail Al-Madani12 August 2024IncumbentMinister of DefenseMaj-General Mohamed al-Atifi12 August 2024IncumbentMinistry of InteriorMaj-General Abdul Karim Amir al-Din al-Houthi12 August 2024IncumbentMinister of Justice and Human RightsJudge Mujahid Ahmed Abdullah Ali12 August 202428 August 2025Minister of Civil Service and Administrative DevelopmentKhaled Hussein Saleh Al-Hawali12 August 2024IncumbentMinister of Transport and Public WorksMaj-General Mohamed Ayyash Mohamed Qahim12 August 2024IncumbentMinister of FinanceAbdul-Jabbar Ahmed Mohammed Mohammed12 August 2024IncumbentMinister of Economy, Industry and InvestmentMoeen Hashem Ahmed Al-Mahagri12 August 202428 August 2025Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water ResourcesRadwan Ali Ali Al-Rubai12 August 202428 August 2025Minister of Education and Scientific ResearchHassan Abdullah Yahya Al-Saadi12 August 2024IncumbentMinister of Foreign Affairs and EmigrantsJamal Amer12 August 202428 August 2025Minister of Oil and MineralsAbdullah Abdulaziz Abdulrahman Al-Amir12 August 2024IncumbentMinister of Electricity, Energy and WaterAli Saif Mohamed Hassan12 August 202428 August 2025Minister of Health and EnvironmentAli Abdul Karim Ali Shaiban12 August 2024IncumbentMinister of Culture and TourismAli Qasim Hussein Al Yafei12 August 202428 August 2025Minister of Social Affairs and LabourSamir Mohamed Ahmed Bajaala12 August 202428 August 2025Minister of InformationHashem Ahmed Abdulrahman Sharafuddin12 August 202428 August 2025Minister of Youth and SportsMohamed Ali Ahmed Al-Mawlid12 August 202428 August 2025Minister of Communications and Information TechnologyMohammed Ahmed Mohammed Al-Mahdi12 August 2024Incumbent
National Salvation Government (2016–2023) On 2 October 2016, Abdel-Aziz bin Habtour was appointed as prime minister by the Houthis. On 4 October, he formed his cabinet. The cabinet was composed of members of the Southern Movement. However, the cabinet is not internationally recognized.
On 28 November 2016, a new cabinet was formed. It is only composed of members of the pro-Saleh GPC and the Houthis.
However, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said the move was "a new and unnecessary obstacle. Yemen is at a critical juncture. The actions recently taken by Ansarullah and the General People's Congress will only complicate the search for a peaceful solution. The parties must hold Yemen’s national interests above narrow partisan ambitions and take immediate steps to end political divisions and address the country’s security, humanitarian and economic challenges." He further claimed that such an action could harm peace talks.
On 27 October 2020, the Minister of Youth and Sport Hassan Mohammed Zaid was shot dead by unknown gunmen in the capital Sanaa.
On 27 September 2023, the National Salvation Government was dismissed and replaced by a caretaker government. Habtour continued as caretaker prime minister before being elevated to the SPC in 2024.