Municipal elections
On the 12th of December, something very rare happened in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy, however, elections are occasionally held for low-level local offices which have little real power. The municipal elections of 2015 differed to previous elections in a number of ways. The full range of council seats is never offered for elections. In 2005 and 2011, only half of such seats were eligible to be voted for. In 2015, two thirds of seats were available. However, the greatest change was the inclusion of women. For the first time, the franchise was extended to certain sections of the female population – and women were also allowed to run for office. However admirable some may asses them to be, these measures are more symbolic than harbinger of real change.
Voter turnout was restricted
Saudi Arabia has a population of over 28 million, 18 million of which are of eligible voting age. However, the reality is that not every Saudi resident by virtue of being aged 18 or above is allowed to participate in elections. 1.35 million men voted in the December the 12th elections, and only 130,000 women. Voter turnout was restricted in many ways. This was particularly true for women. Legal and bureaucratic obstacles restricted the female vote. Laws such as the inability to travel without a male guardian, and the blocking of voter education classes depressed the new female vote. Women candidates were also restricted in their activities.
[via Brussels Diplomatic]
Stifled message
Saudi Arabian laws forbid women from addressing men they do not know, and this undoubtedly would have an impact on the ability for the candidates to express their message. With female voters outnumbered ten to one, being able to transmit a message across the gender divide would have proved crucial. The laws remaining in Saudi Arabia diminished the ability for women candidates to effectively express their message to all sections of Saudi society. The election of 20 female candidates to councils in cities such as Mecca, Medina, and Jeddah is being hailed as a victory. By contrast, the remaining council seats, which exceed 2000, were all won by men.
A long road
Saudi Arabia has a long way to go before consequential elections and secured women’s rights. Though many hail the Saudi municipal elections as a game-changer, the reality will be little consequential change. Only two thirds of the council seats were allowed to be contested for the elections. Of 978 registered women candidates, only 20 were elected to office. Elections for any key government roles are nowhere in sight. Saudi Arabia is projecting a façade of improve rights for women, when the reality is far from this. The extending of the franchise to women may have been a small step, but there is an extremely long road ahead.
