Government
Saudi Arabia is a monarchy headed by King Fahad Bin Abdul Aziz, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Head of State.
Assisting him in his duties are
Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz is the Deputy Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia and Commander of its National Guard.
Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz is the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation, and Inspector General.
and other ministers appointed to the Council of Ministers, which meets every Monday except during the two major holidays.
King Fahad has taken historic steps to revise the Kingdom’s political and administrative system. On March 1, 1992, he introduced a new Basic Law for the System of Government which outlined the government’s goals and responsibilities and redefined the relationship between the King and his citizens. In addition, for the first time, the rules of succession to become Head of State were put into writing and formalized. New bylaws were also introduced for the Council of Ministers.
Ministers are appointed by the King and are responsible for implementing governmental policies which relate to their particular ministry. The Council of Ministers, headed by the King, is responsible for drafting and overseeing implementation of the internal, external, economic, financial, social, educational, defense, and other general matters of the state.
Local government
In 1993, King Fahad also promulgated new bylaws for the Provincial System to aid in the administration of the country’s provinces and to facilitate their continued development. The Kingdom is divided into 14 provinces through which local affairs are administered. Each is headed by an Emir (governor) who is appointed by the King. The governor is assisted by a vice governor. He is also assisted by a provincial council, which is composed of the heads of the province’s government departments and a ten-member council of prominent individuals in the community who are appointed to four-year, renewable terms.
Shoura Council
In August 1993, King Fahad restructured the Majlis Al-Shura (national consultative council) to make it more efficient. The Majlis Al-Shura, which was initially composed of 60 prominent members of Saudi social, political, and religious life, was expanded to 90 members in 1997. The Majlis Al-Shura advises the King and the Council of Ministers on a regular basis on matters pertaining to government programs and policies. The Shura Council’s primary function is to assess, interpret, and modify the Kingdom’s system of laws, by-laws, contracts, and international agreements.