Political system of saudi arabia - Essay Example

The Political System of Saudi Arabia The King and the Royal Family The King is the head of government and in Saudi Arabia, which is established as an absolute monarchy. The king also acts as the chairman of the committee of ministers. But his power is controlled by the Islamic law. The King does not pass laws, but he only issues royal decrees which are in accordance with the Islamic shari’ah. His most important duty is to foster harmony between the royal family, the ulema (religious scholars) and influential members of the society.

This is all about making judgments in areas of disagreements between religious and supreme interests. In addition to that, the King keeps the tribes together, since there is a tribal structure in the state of Saudi Arabia. The Royal Family has the power to overthrow the king, supposedly. In 2005, the succession of the throne by King Abdullah progressed without any disturbances; just it has been same in the past (Maik et al 3). Recently, King Abdul-Aziz has put in place the rules for the succession by selecting an heir for the post of crown prince and deputy Prime minister.

Saudi kings have also fixed a second deputy prime minister, who is next in turn on the unofficial succession line- up, since 1975, in order to maintain their control on the succession progression. Typically, the successors are the sons of the founder of Saudi-Arabia. Usually, the eldest brother is the new king while the second eldest brother, becomes crown prince. The Saudi Arabian Government The crowned king is the main foundation of power in Saudi Arabian government while other senior princes enjoy immense authority and extensive liberty of action.

Though, in practice the King’s powers are restricted and are achieved by consensus. The King has a responsibility to observe Islamic law and other country traditions at all the times. Saudi Arabia has also a heritage of decision making through consultation. In 1953, a Council of Ministers was appointed by the king (very similar to western cabinets) whose duty was to draft a legislation which was to be presented in front of the reigning monarch. Ministries and key personnel Out of the 22 separate ministries, the most important positions are held by the senior members of the Royal Family.

Because of these appointments, the senior members of the royal family maintain their control over the administration, defense, internal security, the budget and oil revenues, and other prime areas. In 1992, the King issued a verdict, which said that Cabinet ministers could not remain in power for more than five years without a special royal ruling in order to avoid the build-up of resistance against the monarch. Politics in Saudi Arabia is heavily subjective to two factors, namely issues over Mecca and Petroleum.

Therefore, Ministries for Hajj and Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral resources are responsible to manage these central issues. Islamic Shariah The objectives that the Islamic system of governance aims to establish are as follows (Abdullah 15): Guaranteeing justice Directing to good and combating evil Safeguarding the religion through declaration and campaigning Implementation of verdicts Protecting others’ rights Organizing life’s affairs Maintenance of the public order Majlis-e-Shura The complicated set of social and economic forces exploding during the Second Gulf War, directed King Fahd to rearrange the Cabinet in 1990 and announce a chain of reforms in 1991.

One of these reforms was the structuring of a Council of Saudi citizen (Majlis-e-Shura) composed of 61 members. All members are selected by the king for four years. Its tasks are to look at plans for economic and social development, inquiring Cabinet members, probing annual plans submitted by each of the ministries, and suggesting new laws or modifications. In 2001, the number of the members was enlarged to 150 and the responsibilities of its committees expanded (Maik et al. 6). References: Al-Turaiqi, Abdullah.

The Political System of Saudi Arabia. 6 February, 2011. Matthes, Maik et al. Saudi Arabia’s Political System. 7 February, 2011.