Saudi Arabia and the Mirage of Decentralization

Abstract

Without taking a position on centralization versus decentralization, this chapter reviews the local governance system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The chapter alleges that local government hierarchies in Saudi Arabia seem to suggest a higher degree of decentralization, while the actual separation of powers between local and national levels of government suggests a high degree of centralization. This raises questions about electoral politics at the local level—where little power resides. This chapter provides a thorough background on Saudi demographic, political, administrative, and economic conditions. Then, it considers the issues that are specific to local governance including local government structure and organization. The final section addresses the main claim of this chapter about the effectiveness of local governance in Saudi Arabia and makes some recommendations.