SAN’A, Yemen (AP) – Yemen’s parliament has approved a two-year postponement of the country’s legislative elections that had been scheduled for April 27.

The move is widely seen as an attempt to defuse escalating tensions between the governing and opposition parties over the fairness of the election process.

Major opposition parties have led nationwide protests over the past few months demanding constitutional amendments to guarantee a fraud-free vote, such as including members of the opposition to the body that oversees elections. The extension gives the opposition the opportunity to push through vote reforms.

The elections are now scheduled for April 2011.