|
Saudi Arabia
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Government: Absolute monarchy that based legitimacy
on fundamentalist interpretation of Islamic law. King head of
state and head of government; no written constitution or elected
legislature. Crown prince deputy prime minister; other royal family
members headed important ministries and agencies. Political system
highly centralized; judiciary and local officials appointed by
king through Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Interior.
Politics: Political parties, labor unions, and
professional associations banned. Informal political activity
centered around estimated 4,000 princes of Al Faisal branch of
Al Saud ruling family. On important policy matters, king sought
consensus among senior princes of major Al Saud clans. King also
consulted senior ulama (religious scholars) of Al ash Shaykh family
and leaders of main tribal families. Western-educated professional
and technocratic elite had restricted influence through alliances
with various Saudi princes.
Foreign Relations: Founding member of United
Nations (UN), League of Arab States, Organization of the Islamic
Conference, and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Participated in
UN specialized agencies, World Bank, Nonaligned Movement, Organization
of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, and Organization of Arab
Petroleum Exporting Countries. Security, Arab nationalism, and
Islam main foreign policy concerns. Objective to prevent radical
Arab nationalist or radical Islamic movements from threatening
stability of Arabian Peninsula. Most active Arab participant in
war against Iraq, 1991. Historically had close ties with United
States, despite differences over Israel. Closest regional allies
fellow members of GCC and Egypt.
Data as of December 1992
|
