Saudi Gazette reports that the Saudi Shoura Council is set to expand the number of its members in its next session. It started out with 60 members, grew to 90, 120, and now will go to 150 members. The point of the expansion is to include segments of society that are less well-connected or whose voices are not often heard. Just how far they’re willing to take that is a fair question: the members of the Shoura Council are appointed, not elected after all. Women have yet to be appointed as Council members, though they do have a place as ‘advisors’. The number of female advisors is also expected to rise.

Contrary to what the article states, the Shoura Council does not ‘enjoy the same powers’ as Western parliaments. Its role is still circumscribed by the fact that the King, not the Council, is the final arbiter of what becomes law. It also lacks the legitimacy of an elected parliament in the way it can forcefully ’speak for the people’.

Still, it is improving, it is expanding, and it is being given wider powers. It was, as the story points out, accepted as a full member of the International Parliamentary Union in 2003 and, soon after, the US Congress accredited it as having most parliamentary powers, thus enabling exchanges between the two groups. As the mantra goes, ‘Doing well; could do better’.

Shoura expansion expected
Mohammad Al-Ghamdi

RIYADH – The number of Shoura Council members is expected to be increased from the present 150 to 180 in its next session, according sources.

The number of female advisers too is expected to increase from six to 11, the sources said.

The current six adivors are Dr. Omaimah Al-Jalahmah, Dr. Nihad Al-Jashi, Dr. Bahijah Azzi, Dr. Wafa Taibah, Dr. Norah Al-Yousif, and Dr. Norah Al-Adwan.

The coming Shoura session is likely to see the end of tenure of at least half of the members.
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