Editing Politics of Saudi Arabia (section)

==Politics outside of the royal family==
{{see also|List of political parties in Saudi Arabia}}
Politics in Saudi Arabia, outside the royal family, can be examined in three contexts: the extent to which the royal family allows political participation by the wider Saudi society, opposition to the regime, and Islamist terrorism.

===Political participation===
[[File:Shura Council in Saudi Arabia.jpeg|thumb|The [[Consultative Assembly of Saudi Arabia|Consultative Assembly]] at [[Al Yamamah Palace]] in [[Riyadh]]]]
Outside the House of Al Saud, participation in the political process is limited to a relatively small segment of the population and takes the form of the royal family consulting with the ulama, tribal sheiks, and members of important commercial families on major decisions.<ref name="Encyclopædia Britannica Online: Saudi Arabia"/> This process is not reported by the Saudi media.<ref>{{cite book |title=Culture and Customs of Saudi Arabia |last=Long |first=David E. |year=2005 |isbn=978-0313320217 |page=[https://archive.org/details/culturecustomsof00long/page/85 85] |url=https://archive.org/details/culturecustomsof00long/page/85 }}</ref>  In theory, all males of the age of majority have a right to petition the king directly through the traditional tribal meeting known as the ''[[majlis]]''.<ref name=Cavendish92>{{cite book |title=World and Its Peoples: the Arabian Peninsula |last=Cavendish |first=Marshall |year=2007 |isbn=978-0761475712 |pages=92–93 |url=https://archive.org/details/worlditspeoplesm0000unse |url-access=limited }}</ref> In many ways, the approach to government differs little from the traditional system of tribal rule. Tribal identity remains strong and, outside the royal family, political influence is frequently determined by tribal affiliation, with tribal sheiks maintaining a considerable degree of influence over local and national events.<ref name="Encyclopædia Britannica Online: Saudi Arabia"/> In recent years there have been limited steps to widen political participation, such as the establishment of the [[Consultative Assembly of Saudi Arabia|Consultative Council]] in the early 1990s and the National Dialogue Forum in 2003.<ref name= Al-Rasheed242/>

===Opposition to the royal family===
The rule of the Al Saud faces political opposition from four sources: [[Sunni]] [[Islamist]] activism, liberal critics, including an underground green party, the [[Shia Islam in Saudi Arabia|Shia minority]] – particularly in the [[Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia|Eastern Province]]; and long-standing tribal and regional particularistic opponents (for example in the [[Hejaz]]).<ref>{{cite journal |author=Barenek, Ondrej |year=2009 |title=Divided We Survive: A Landscape of Fragmentation in Saudi Arabia |journal=Middle East Brief |issue=33 |publisher=Brandeis University Crown Center for Middle East Studies |url=http://www.brandeis.edu/crown/publications/meb/MEB33.pdf |access-date=29 June 2011 |archive-date=23 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923194313/http://www.brandeis.edu/crown/publications/meb/MEB33.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Of these, the Islamic activists have been the most prominent threat to the regime and have in recent years perpetrated a number of violent or [[List of militant incidents in Saudi Arabia|terrorist acts in the country]].<ref name="Cordesman 2009">{{cite book |title=Saudi Arabia: national security in a troubled region |last=Cordesman |first=Anthony H. |year=2009 |isbn=978-0313380761 |pages=50–52|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic }}</ref>  However, open protest against the government, even if peaceful, is not tolerated. On 29 January 2011, hundreds of protesters gathered in the city of [[Jeddah]] in a rare display of protest against the city's poor infrastructure after deadly floods swept through the city, killing eleven people.<ref name="Montreal">{{cite news|url=https://montrealgazette.com/news/Flood+sparks+rare+action/4189873/story.html|title=Flood sparks rare action|date=29 January 2011|newspaper=[[The Gazette (Montreal)|Montreal Gazette]]|access-date=29 January 2011|archive-date=1 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110201053307/http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Flood%2Bsparks%2Brare%2Baction/4189873/story.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Police stopped the demonstration after about 15 minutes and arrested 30 to 50 people.<ref name="Reuters_Dozens_detained">{{cite news | title=Dozens detained in Saudi over flood protests | date=29 January 2011 | publisher=[[The Peninsula (newspaper)|The Peninsula]] (Qatar)/[[Thomson-Reuters]] | url=http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/middle-east/140720-dozens-detained-in-saudi-over-flood-protests.html |access-date =31 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110302150701/http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/middle-east/140720-dozens-detained-in-saudi-over-flood-protests.html |archive-date=2 March 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In March 2018, the crown prince [[Mohammed bin Salman]] faced severe criticism from British opposition figures during his visit to the [[United Kingdom]]. Salman was accused of funding extremism in the UK, committing human rights abuses domestically, and breaching international humanitarian law in [[Yemen]] with the [[Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)|on-going war]], where millions are on the verge of famine.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/mar/07/saudi-crown-prince-uk-visit|title=Saudi crown prince's UK visit prompts heavy criticism by opposition|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=7 March 2018|archive-date=7 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307175306/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/mar/07/saudi-crown-prince-uk-visit|url-status=live}}</ref> Later that year, he was criticized by many other countries after Saudi American journalist [[Jamal Khashoggi]] was murdered.

On 24 September 2020, a group of dissidents from Saudi Arabia announced the launch of a political party in opposition to [[King Salman]]'s rule. The [[National Assembly Party]] members were exiled in the US, Britain, and elsewhere at the time of the party's launch from London. The opposition party aims to bring democracy as a form of government in the absolute monarchy and oust the ''de facto'' leader of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman. The NAP is the first formalized political opposition in King Salman's rule. The country's Basic Law bans the formation of political parties and sanctions sedition and condemnation of the king with long jail terms. The founding members of the National Assembly Party are Activist [[Yahya Assiri]], comedian [[Omar Abdulaziz (vlogger)|Omar Abdulaziz]], Professor [[Madawi al-Rasheed]], and scholar Abdullah al-Aoudh.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/saudis-exiled-defy-mbs-rule-new-political-party-demand-democracy-2020-9?r=US&IR=T|title=Exiled Saudi Arabian dissidents have launched a political party they hope will dethrone MBS and open the door to democracy|access-date=25 September 2020|website=Business Insider|archive-date=10 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110134735/https://www.businessinsider.com/saudis-exiled-defy-mbs-rule-new-political-party-demand-democracy-2020-9?r=US&IR=T|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Islamist terrorism===
{{Main|Islamist terrorism|State-sponsored terrorism#Saudi Arabia|Terrorism in Saudi Arabia}}
[[Osama bin Laden]] and 15 out of [[Hijackers in the September 11 attacks|the 19 hijackers]] of [[9/11]] were Saudi nationals or used to be Saudi nationals<ref>{{cite news| last=Johnston| first=David| title=Two years later: 9/11 Tactics; Official Says Qaeda Recruited Saudi Hijackers to Strain Ties| url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9803E4DD143BF93AA3575AC0A9659C8B63| date=9 September 2003| newspaper=The New York Times| access-date=19 May 2008| archive-date=24 November 2010| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124105445/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9803E4DD143BF93AA3575AC0A9659C8B63| url-status=live}}</ref> and former [[CIA]] director [[James Woolsey]] described Saudi Arabian [[Wahhabism]] as "the soil in which [[Al-Qaeda]] and its sister terrorist organizations are flourishing."<ref name="iags.org">{{cite web | last=IAGS | first=Institute | title=Fueling Terror | website=Energy Security in Focus | url=http://www.iags.org/fuelingterror.html | access-date=2021-09-26 | archive-date=4 February 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204125518/http://www.iags.org/fuelingterror.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

===Arab Spring protests===
{{Main|2011–13 Saudi Arabian protests}}
Since 2011, Saudi Arabia has been affected by its own Arab Spring protests.<ref name="Fisk_troops">{{cite news | first=Robert | last=Fisk | title=Saudis mobilise thousands of troops to quell growing revolt | date=5 May 2011 |work=The Independent | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudis-mobilise-thousands-of-troops-to-quell-growing-revolt-2232928.html |access-date=3 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110306080218/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudis-mobilise-thousands-of-troops-to-quell-growing-revolt-2232928.html |archive-date=6 March 2011 |url-status=live | location=London}}</ref> In response, King Abdullah announced on 22 February 2011 a series of benefits for citizens amounting to $36 billion, of which $10.7 billion was earmarked for [[housing]].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/oilprices/8344421/Saudi-ruler-offers-36bn-to-stave-off-uprising-amid-warning-oil-price-could-double.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/oilprices/8344421/Saudi-ruler-offers-36bn-to-stave-off-uprising-amid-warning-oil-price-could-double.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live | location=London | work=The Daily Telegraph | first=Ambrose | last=Evans-Pritchard | title=Saudi ruler offers $36bn to stave off uprising amid warning oil price could double | date=24 February 2011}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arabianbusiness.com/saudi-king-gives-billion-dollar-cash-boost-housing-jobs--382623.html|title=Saudi king gives billion-dollar cash boost to housing, jobs|work=Arabian Business|date=23 February 2011 |access-date=18 May 2016|archive-date=2 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170702061357/http://www.arabianbusiness.com/saudi-king-gives-billion-dollar-cash-boost-housing-jobs--382623.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.us-sabc.org/custom/news/details.cfm?id=957#.UkGdfT_FMpE|title=King Abdullah Returns to Kingdom, Enacts Measures to Boost the Economy|access-date=18 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928024630/http://www.us-sabc.org/custom/news/details.cfm?id=957#.UkGdfT_FMpE|archive-date=28 September 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> No political reforms were announced as part of the package, though some prisoners indicted for financial crimes were pardoned.<ref name="AlJazeeraEnglishBenefits">{{cite news |title=Saudi king announces new benefits |url=http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/02/2011223105328424268.html |publisher=Al Jazeera English |date=23 February 2011 |access-date=23 February 2011 |archive-date=6 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110806003657/http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/02/2011223105328424268.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On 18 March the same year, King Abdullah announced a package of $93 billion, which included 500,000 new homes to a cost of $67 billion, in addition to creating 60,000 new security jobs.<ref name="theguardian.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/mar/18/saudi-arabia-job-housing-package|title=Saudi Arabia's king announces huge jobs and housing package|work=The Guardian|date=18 March 2011|access-date=18 May 2016|archive-date=18 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171018122601/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/mar/18/saudi-arabia-job-housing-package|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-18/saudi-arabian-king-abdullah-boosts-spending-as-protests-sweep-arab-world.html | work=Bloomberg | title=Saudi King to Spend $67 Billion on Housing, Jobs in Bid to Pacify Citizens | date=18 March 2011 | access-date=11 March 2017 | archive-date=26 January 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150126050910/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-18/saudi-arabian-king-abdullah-boosts-spending-as-protests-sweep-arab-world.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

The lack of critical thought in the education system has been cited by some as the reason why fewer protests occurred in the Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.opendemocracy.net/bobby-thomas-cameron/critical-thoughts-on-critical-thinking-in-saudi-arabia|title=Critical thoughts on critical thinking in Saudi Arabia|work=openDemocracy|access-date=18 May 2016|archive-date=24 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724010911/http://www.opendemocracy.net/bobby-thomas-cameron/critical-thoughts-on-critical-thinking-in-saudi-arabia|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries also sent some policemen to Bahrain to assist police clampdown on protesters within Bahrain.