Women to Vote in KSA

Local Editor

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz gave the kingdom's women the right to participate in local elections and to become members of the country's top advisory body.

In a short speech that was broadcast on Saudi television Sunday, King Abdullah said that "women would have the right to join the all-appointed Shoura (consultative) Council, in an address opening a new term of the council."

"Starting with the next term, women will have the right to run in municipal elections and to choose candidates, according to Islamic principles," he said.

The king's announcement means that women will be able to take part in the 2015 municipal elections, as nominations for the next vote, which is due to take place on Thursday and which is the second in Saudi Arabia's history, have already been submitted.
 
More than 5,000 men will compete in Thursday's municipal elections, only the second in Saudi Arabia's history, to fill half the seats in the kingdom's 285 municipal councils. The other half are appointed by the government.


Source: News Agenies, Edited by moqawama.org