Direct presidential elections were held in Yemen for the first time on 23 September 1999.

The only candidates that received approval from Parliament were Saleh and Najeeb Qahtan al-Shaabi, another member of the GPC.

The main opposition candidate, Ali Saleh Obad of the Yemeni Socialist Party, failed to gain enough support in the House of Representatives; his party subsequently boycotted the elections.

Another candidate, Khalid al-Zarraka, did not appear on the publicised list of nominations, but was included in the parliamentary vote.

Only two candidates managed to obtain the required number of votes; Saleh and Najeeb Qahtan al-Shaabi.