The Structure of Government System in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The system of government in Saudi Arabia is distinguished from other nations as a monarchy, where the rule in one family is inherited, as is the case in some other monarchies in the world. However, to confront the regional and global challenges and developments, it was very important to let the people have some form of participation in political decision-making, so there were some reforms to this system of government. First, the basic law of governance was enacted in 1992 which is the constitution in Saudi Arabia, and it defines the main governmental bodies’ powers and their functions, such as the Council of Ministers and the Shura Council, and their main role in decision-making. Furthermore, one of the pillars of governance in Saudi Arabia is the Law of Provinces, which is considered as the main mainstay in organizing local governments in the regions away from the central and also giving the people in different regions the opportunity to participate in decision-making. Therefore, all of this has contributed to an increase in people's chances of participating in decision-making, at least to a certain extent on the local levels by establishing district councils which are responsible for following up and monitoring the implementation of the regions’ development, budget and coordination plans. Moreover, the district council’s role is to oversee and monitor the development programs and strategies based on the predetermined plans.