Elections in Saudi Arabia: Difference between revisions
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{{Politics of Saudi Arabia}} |
{{Politics of Saudi Arabia}} |
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'''Elections in Saudi Arabia''' are rare. Municipal elections were last held in [[2015 Saudi Arabian municipal elections|2015]], the first time women had the right to vote and stand as candidates.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-12-13 |title=Saudi Arabia: First women councillors elected |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35086357 |access-date=2022-07-10}}</ref> |
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'''Elections in [[Saudi Arabia]]''' have been historically rare. [[Local election|Municipal elections]] were [[2005 Saudi Arabian municipal elections|held in 2005]] and were planned for 2009. After two years' delay, they were [[2011 Saudi Arabian municipal elections|held in 2011]].<ref name="Star_KSA_municip_2011">{{cite news|title=Saudi Arabia to hold elections next month after year and a half delay |date=2011-03-22 |publisher=[[Toronto Star]]/[[Associated Press|AP]] |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/958117--saudi-arabia-to-hold-elections-next-month-after-year-and-a-half-delay |accessdate=2011-03-22 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5xNsBXcwF?url=http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/958117--saudi-arabia-to-hold-elections-next-month-after-year-and-a-half-delay |archivedate=22 March 2011 |url-status=live |location=Toronto |df=dmy }}</ref><ref name="TheNational_KSA_municip_2011">{{cite news |title=Women remain barred from voting as Saudi Arabia announces elections |date=2011-03-23 |publisher=[[The National (Abu Dhabi)]]/[[Associated Press|AP]]/[[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg]] |url=http://www.thenational.ae/news/worldwide/middle-east/women-remain-barred-from-voting-as-saudi-arabia-announces-elections |accessdate=2011-03-22 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5xNr7T4Xv?url=http://www.thenational.ae/news/worldwide/middle-east/women-remain-barred-from-voting-as-saudi-arabia-announces-elections |archivedate=22 March 2011 |url-status=dead |df=dmy }}</ref> In September 2011, [[King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia|King Abdullah]] granted women the right to vote and stand in the [[2015 Saudi Arabian municipal elections|2015 municipal elections]].<ref name="oman_observer_electionday" /> |
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==History== |
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The first municipal elections in Saudi Arabia took place in the mid-1920s in the [[Hijaz]] cities of [[Mecca]], [[Medina]], [[Jeddah]], [[Yanbu]] and [[Taif]], as King [[Abdulaziz ibn Saud]] established local governments to replace [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] and [[Hashemite]] rule. Elections for other municipalities were held between 1954 and 1962 during the reign of [[King Saud]], an experiment that ended under the centralization of [[Faisal of Saudi Arabia|King Faisal]].<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Mattheisen|first1=Toby|title=Centre –Periphery Relations and the Emergence of a Public Sphere in Saudi Arabia: The Municipal Elections in the Eastern Province, 1954 – 1960|journal=British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies|volume=42|issue=3|pages=320–338|doi=10.1080/13530194.2014.947242|year=2015}}</ref> |
The first municipal elections in [[Saudi Arabia]] took place in the mid-1920s in the [[Hijaz]] cities of [[Mecca]], [[Medina]], [[Jeddah]], [[Yanbu]] and [[Taif]], as King [[Abdulaziz ibn Saud]] established local governments to replace [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] and [[Hashemite]] rule. Elections for other municipalities were held between 1954 and 1962 during the reign of [[King Saud]], an experiment that ended under the centralization of [[Faisal of Saudi Arabia|King Faisal]].<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Mattheisen|first1=Toby|title=Centre –Periphery Relations and the Emergence of a Public Sphere in Saudi Arabia: The Municipal Elections in the Eastern Province, 1954 – 1960|journal=British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies|volume=42|issue=3|pages=320–338|doi=10.1080/13530194.2014.947242|year=2015|s2cid=143821878 }}</ref> |
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In 2005, elections for half of the municipal councilors were held, with men aged over 21 voting for male candidates. In May 2009, elections scheduled for October were postponed so authorities could consider expanding those eligible to vote, including women.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Saudi Arabia postpones local elections |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/saudiarabia/5352796/Saudi-Arabia-postpones-local-elections.html |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=www.telegraph.co.uk}}</ref> Women were not granted franchise until after the [[2011 Saudi Arabian municipal elections|2011 elections]], which drew condemnation from [[Human Rights Watch]]; some female activists planned 'parallel' municipal councils following the vote.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2011-09-25 |title=Women in Saudi Arabia to vote and run in elections |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-15052030 |access-date=2022-07-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-03-31 |title=Saudi Arabia: Let Women Vote, Run for Office |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2011/03/31/saudi-arabia-let-women-vote-run-office |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=Human Rights Watch |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-04-01 |title=Saudi women aim to create their own municipal council |url=https://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2011%2F04%2F01%2F143829.html |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=Al Arabiya English |language=en}}</ref> |
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In 2005, [[2005 Saudi Arabia municipal elections|elections for half the municipal councillors]] were held, with men voting for male candidates. |
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In February 2009 it was announced that municipal elections scheduled for 2009 would be postponed indefinitely "for evaluation".<ref>Brian Whitaker, ''[[The Guardian]]'', 24 February 2009, [https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/feb/24/saudiarabia Hello, democracy – and goodbye]</ref> A government spokesperson said that they were postponed to consider suffrage for women in the next elections.<ref>{{Cite news | url=http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/politik/international/kampagne_fuer_frauenstimmrecht_in_saudi-arabien_1.9117068.html | title=Kampagne für Frauenstimmrecht in Saudiarabien | NZZ| newspaper=Neue Zürcher Zeitung| date=2011-01-17}}</ref> The municipal elections were eventually scheduled for and took place in 2011, but universal suffrage was delayed until [[2015 Saudi Arabian municipal elections|the scheduled 2015 vote]]. |
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Saudi Arabia's [[Consultative Assembly of Saudi Arabia|Consultative Assembly]] (''Majlis ash-Shura''), with 150 appointed members |
Saudi Arabia's [[Consultative Assembly of Saudi Arabia|Consultative Assembly]] (''Majlis ash-Shura'') is wholly advisory in function, with 150 appointed members and the Speaker, currently [[Abdullah ibn Muhammad Al ash-Sheikh]], appointed by the [[King of Saudi Arabia|King]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-11-19 |title=Understanding Shoura: how the Saudi consultative 'parliament' works |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1407076/saudi-arabia |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=Arab News |language=en}}</ref> Political parties are outlawed. |
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===Women's participation=== |
===Women's participation=== |
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Arguments against female suffrage were that not enough women would be available to staff female polling stations ([[Gender segregation and Islam#Saudi Arabia|gender segregation]] is normal in the country) and that only a small number of women held [[Women's rights in Saudi Arabia#Identity cards|ID cards]], which would be required in order for them to vote.<ref name="MSNBC">{{cite news |date=October 11, 2004 |title=Saudi government bans women's suffrage |newspaper=MSNBC |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna6228405 |access-date=25 September 2011}}</ref> [[Amnesty International]] called [[Abdullah of Saudi Arabia|King Abdullah]]'s 2011 announcement women could stand for election and vote from 2012 "a welcome, albeit limited, step along the long road towards gender equality in Saudi Arabia, and a testament to the long struggle of women's rights activists there".<ref>{{cite web|title=VOTE FOR SAUDI WOMEN NO GUARANTEE OF RIGHTS|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/vote-saudi-women-no-guarantee-rights-2011-09-26|work=Amnesty International Website|access-date=27 September 2011}}</ref> |
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As with many issues related to women's rights, women's suffrage has been a matter of public discussion in Saudi Arabia in recent years, with strongly held views on both sides.<ref>{{cite news|last=Zoepf|first=Katherine|title=Talk of Women’s Rights Divides Saudi Arabia|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/01/world/middleeast/01iht-saudi.html?pagewanted=all|accessdate=25 September 2011|newspaper=New York Times|date=31 May 2010}}</ref> It is the last country in the world to retain a gender-specific ban on political suffrage.<ref>{{cite web|title=Fact Sheet: Women's Political Participation|url=http://www.iwdc.org/resources/fact_sheet.htm|work=International Women’s Democracy Center website|accessdate=25 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930072105/http://www.iwdc.org/resources/fact_sheet.htm|archive-date=30 September 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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Women are allowed to hold positions on boards of chambers of commerce. In 2008, two women were elected to the board of the [[Jeddah]] Chamber of Commerce and Industry. There are no women on the High Court or the Supreme Judicial Council. There is one woman in a cabinet-level position, as deputy minister for women's education.<ref>{{Cite news| url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/03/09/saudi.arabia.lashes/index.html | work=CNN | title=Saudis order 40 lashes for elderly woman for mingling | date=9 March 2009}}</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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*[[Women's rights in Saudi Arabia]] |
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*[[Arab Spring]] |
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*[[ |
*[[Women's suffrage]] |
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*[[Electoral system]] |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{reflist|refs= |
{{reflist|refs= |
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<ref name="oman_observer_electionday">{{cite news |title=Saudis vote in municipal elections, results on Sunday |date=2011-09-30 |publisher=[[Oman Observer]]/[[Agence France Presse|AFP]] |url=http://main.omanobserver.om/node/66706 |accessdate=2011-12-14 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/63xUk7Xwe?url=http://main.omanobserver.om/node/66706 |archivedate=15 December 2011 |url-status=dead |df=dmy }}</ref> |
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{{Saudi Arabian elections}} |
{{Saudi Arabian elections}} |
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{{Asia topic|Elections in}} |
{{Asia topic|Elections in}} |
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{{Saudi Arabia topics}} |
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[[Category:Elections in Saudi Arabia| ]] |
[[Category:Elections in Saudi Arabia| ]] |
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Latest revision as of 21:26, 20 September 2024
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| Basic Law |
 Saudi Arabia portal |
Elections in Saudi Arabia are rare. Municipal elections were last held in 2015, the first time women had the right to vote and stand as candidates.[1]
History
[edit]The first municipal elections in Saudi Arabia took place in the mid-1920s in the Hijaz cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Yanbu and Taif, as King Abdulaziz ibn Saud established local governments to replace Ottoman and Hashemite rule. Elections for other municipalities were held between 1954 and 1962 during the reign of King Saud, an experiment that ended under the centralization of King Faisal.[2]
In 2005, elections for half of the municipal councilors were held, with men aged over 21 voting for male candidates. In May 2009, elections scheduled for October were postponed so authorities could consider expanding those eligible to vote, including women.[3] Women were not granted franchise until after the 2011 elections, which drew condemnation from Human Rights Watch; some female activists planned 'parallel' municipal councils following the vote.[4][5][6]
Saudi Arabia's Consultative Assembly (Majlis ash-Shura) is wholly advisory in function, with 150 appointed members and the Speaker, currently Abdullah ibn Muhammad Al ash-Sheikh, appointed by the King.[7] Political parties are outlawed.
Women's participation
[edit]Arguments against female suffrage were that not enough women would be available to staff female polling stations (gender segregation is normal in the country) and that only a small number of women held ID cards, which would be required in order for them to vote.[8] Amnesty International called King Abdullah's 2011 announcement women could stand for election and vote from 2012 "a welcome, albeit limited, step along the long road towards gender equality in Saudi Arabia, and a testament to the long struggle of women's rights activists there".[9]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Saudi Arabia: First women councillors elected". BBC News. 13 December 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ Mattheisen, Toby (2015). "Centre –Periphery Relations and the Emergence of a Public Sphere in Saudi Arabia: The Municipal Elections in the Eastern Province, 1954 – 1960". British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies. 42 (3): 320–338. doi:10.1080/13530194.2014.947242. S2CID 143821878.
- ^ "Saudi Arabia postpones local elections". www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ "Women in Saudi Arabia to vote and run in elections". BBC News. 25 September 2011. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ "Saudi Arabia: Let Women Vote, Run for Office". Human Rights Watch. 31 March 2011. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ "Saudi women aim to create their own municipal council". Al Arabiya English. 1 April 2011. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ "Understanding Shoura: how the Saudi consultative 'parliament' works". Arab News. 19 November 2018. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ "Saudi government bans women's suffrage". MSNBC. 11 October 2004. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
- ^ "VOTE FOR SAUDI WOMEN NO GUARANTEE OF RIGHTS". Amnesty International Website. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
