Saudi Shoura council gets membership in Inter- Parliamentary Union

Saudi Arabia's Shoura council has received the full membership of the International Parliamentary Union unanimously in its 108 session which was held yesterday in Santiago, Chile.

The Saudi official news agency said yesterday that the Saudi Shoura council joining of the federation unanimously stems from the Kingdom's influence on the international arena and an assertion to the importance of representing the Islamic Shoura system in this international forum, so as the council will have an Islamic trait and due position among other councils.

The agency added that the "conviction among the participants was reflected in their unanimous position to join the council because of its pioneering role in the Kingdom at the official and citizen levels." However, this process of joining the Inter-Parliamentary Union will have a role in explaining the Shoura experience in the Kingdom which stems from the Islamic Jurisprudence and will contribute to defending the causes of the Islamic nation and its stances in this international forum and will also enhance the role of the Kingdom in this regard.

Worthy mentioning that the Saudi Shoura council is considered a founding member at the federation of the Soura councils, a members at the Arab Parliamentary Union and a member at the federation of Asian parliaments for the sake of peace.

However, there is in Saudi Arabia an appointed Shoura council which was formed in 1993. Its authorities is limited to review budget projects, it submits recommendations to the Cabinet. Its decisions are not obligatory.

Saudi Arabia with one quarter of the world oil reserves bans political parties. It does not have elected trade unions or federations.

The Saudi Shoura council was composed of 60 members appointed by King Fahd. It was formed following calls for reforms following the Gulf war in 1991. Its membership increased to 90 members in 1997 and to 120 members in 2001.