Ali Abdullah Saleh (; born 21 March 1942 – 4 December 2017) was a Yemeni politician. He was the first President of the Republic of Yemen. Before that time, Saleh served as the President of the Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) from 1978 until 1990. In 1990, he assumed the office of chairman of the Presidential Council of the Republic of Yemen (North & South Yemen). He was the longest-serving president of Yemen, ruling since 1978. On February 2, 2011, he announced that he would step down in 2013.