Under the Constitution of Yemen, the president is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and head of the executive branch of the Yemeni government.

The chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council is vested with sweeping powers, including the ability to unilaterally command the military and appoint governors and other key officials.

[3] The first and longest-serving president of unified Yemen was Ali Abdullah Saleh and the second was Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, who took office on 27 February 2012.

[8] Right after assuming his office, al-Alimi met King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed, during an official visit to Saudi Arabia on 29 April 2022 for support of all peace efforts in Yemen and the region.

[9] The Hadi faction's claim to the presidency is contested by the Houthi Supreme Political Council's chairman, Mahdi al-Mashat, who is only recognized by Iran.