Sana'a: Yemen's president Ali Abdullah Saleh could possibly rule for life after parliament agreed in principle on Saturday to make changes to the constitution.
Angry protesters shouted anti-government slogans outside parliament as the proposed amendments would cancel the two-term limit for a presidential term, shortening the ruling period from seven to five years.
In power since 1978, Saleh was elected for the first time in 1999 by direct universal suffrage for a term of seven years. His second term, which began in 2006, expires in 2013.
On Friday, the US urged Yemen's parliament not to go ahead with any move to amend the constitution.
"We continue to believe that the interests of the Yemeni people will be best served through... negotiations," State Department acting spokesman Mark Toner said in a statement.
"Yemen is a sovereign country and it does not take instructions from other countries," said chairman of the parliamentary bloc of the ruling party Sultan Al Barakani.
Opposition and independent MPs have warned that adopting the amendments would "destroy what remains of the foundations of democracy". Such action will also "pave the way for hereditary succession," they said.
