1. By: Lena Drewes & Mahmoud Shalaby

2. Type of Government

3. King August 1, 2005 Head of Government Appoints all members of the government Nominates the next candidates for King Appoints all military officers Head of State Represents his country Symbol of the unbroken continuity of the kingdom Religious Leaders (Ulema) Royal Family

4. ?? How Are the People Represented ?? (Is Consent of the Governed Important?) “In defining the relationship between the ruler and the people, the system emphasizes the equality of all Saudi citizens. All are equal before God and in their concern for the well-being, security, dignity and progress of their nation. All citizens are also equal before the law.” http://www.saudiembassy.net/about/country-information/government/basic_system_of_government.aspx But: Since the King has absolute power and there are no elections, the people in Saudi Arabia are not represented in the government.

5. The legal system in Saudi Arabia is based on the Shari’ a, or sacred Islamic Law “The Government views its interpretation of Islamic law as its sole source of guidance on human rights.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabia “ ….the purpose of the State is to ensure the security and rights of all citizens and residents. It emphasizes the importance of the family as the nucleus of Saudi society. The family plays a vital role by teaching its members to adhere to Islamic values.” http://www.saudiembassy.net/about/country- information/government/basic_system_of_government.aspx http://www.saudiembassy.net/about/country- information/government/basic_system_of_government.aspx

6. Following the Law The laws are the sacred laws of Islam, interpreted by the King and the Ulema and therefore should be followed by all faithful Muslims, and also apply to visitors in the country. They are strongly enforced in Shari’ a courts by the Ulema (religious leaders) who are not lawyers and did not study jurisprudence (theory and philosophy of law), but religion. The supreme judicial council (staffed by the Ulema) reviews legal decisions and has to approve death sentences, amputation for theft, and stoning for adultery.

7. Saudi Arabia is a conservative Monarchy which places the country in the right wing.

8. History Back in 1747, Muhammad Bin Saud, the ruler of the Arabian Peninsula, formed an alliance with Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahab, a Muslim scholar and reformer, which led to the founding of Modern Saudi Arabia. In 1902, Abdul Aziz Bin Abdul Rahman Al-Saud recaptured Riyadh, his families ancestral capital, from the rivaling Al-Rashid family. For the next 30 years, he worked on uniting the separate regions of Saudi Arabia. In 1932, the different regions of Saudi Arabia were unified as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, by the King, with the help of the Religious Clerics. (Today, September 23 rd, 1932, is celebrated as National Day) In 1975, 4 Kings later, Khalid became King. Under King Khalid, Saudi quickly developed economically and became more influential in regional politics and international economic and financial matters. In 1982,after the death of King Khalid, Fahd became King. He organized the Gulf Cooperation Council, a group supporting regional economic cooperation and peaceful development. In 2005, after the death of King Fahd, Crown Prince Abdullah became the current King.

9. Can the Government Be Changed? Everything happens from the top down so change depends on the beliefs and opinions of the current King. There are NO political parties and NO elections so there is very little influence of the people. Election Political PartiesChange Since the king also appoints all of his ministers and advisors change is very unlikely.

10. King Abdullah The Flag The Hajj Geographic Location of KSA

11. The Flag In use since 1973 A green flag, featuring white Arabic Inscriptions and a sword The inscription reads: ‘There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah’ The sword stands for Justice National Emblem Was established in 1950 Depicts two crossed swords with a palm tree in the open space above them The swords represent the two areas Hijaz and Nejd untied under Ibn Saud in 1926 The Hajj Is the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, the fifth pillar of Islam It is a demonstration of solidarity of Muslims and their submission to God

12. Bibliography INFORMATION 1924, By. "Saudi Arabia - The King." Country Studies. Web. 27 Sept. 2010.. "Basic System of Government." The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia Homepage. Web. 27 Sept. 2010.. "Elections in Saudi Arabia." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 26 Apr. 2010. Web. 27 Sept. 2010.. Johnson, Bridget. "King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia - Profile of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia." World News - About World News from Bridget Johnson. Web. 27 Sept. 2010.. "Politics of Saudi Arabia." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 8 Aug. 2010. Web. 27 Sept. 2010.. "Saudi Arabia - Location and Size, Population, The Five Year Plans." Encyclopedia of the Nations - Information about Countries of the World, United Nations, and World Leaders. Web. 27 Sept. 2010.. "Saudi Arabia - POLITICS." Country Studies. Web. 27 Sept. 2010.. "Saudi Arabia - STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT." Country Studies. Web. 27 Sept. 2010.. "Saudi Arabia - The Legal System." Country Studies. Web. 27 Sept. 2010.. "Saudi Arabia." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 1 Oct. 2010. Web. 27 Sept. 2010.. IMAGES Design, God's. "Last Man Standing: Saudi Arabia." Gary D. Naler - Weblog. Web. 27 Sept. 2010. http://blog.thecurseof1920.com/?p=28 "Green Day « New Wineskins." New Wineskins. Web. 27 Sept. 2010.. "Hajj Policy 2010 — Spogmai Weblog." Spogmai Weblog — Rising and Shining Pakistan. Web. 27 Sept. 2010.. "SAUDI ARABIA." SOLAR NAVIGATOR HOMEPAGE INFORMATION PORTAL MARINE WORLD ELECTRIC NAVIGATION CHALLENGE. Web. 27 Sept. 2010.. "Saudia Arabian Coat of Arms T-shirts." Flag T-shirts, American Flag T-shirts plus World Flags. Web. 27 Sept. 2010.. "Saudi-US Relations Information Service -- Maps -- Globes -- Saudi Arabia -- United States." Welcome to SUSRIS - The Saudi-US Relations Information Service. Web. 27 Sept. 2010..

13. Thanks For Your Attention!!!

14. Leaders of Saudi Arabia (Additional Research for Ms. Wilkinson) How are the Leaders selected? Saudi government leaders are not selected but the power is passed on through the male descendants of the first King, Abdul Aziz Al Saud. In 1953 a council of ministers (1 prime minister and 20 ministers) was appointed by the King to aid in formulating general policies. A Consecutive Assembly, of 90 King appointed members, was established for the king to consult with. (Majlis ash-Shura) In 2006 a committee, consisting of important sons and grandsons of King Abdul Aziz, was formed to vote on the next king. The committee has the option of voting for 1 of the 3 princes nominated by the king. If neither the King nor the crown prince is fit to rule, a 5-member council, chosen by the King, is placed in charge of running state affairs for a maximum of one week. There are NO elections and NO Parliament What title are they given? King Crown princes Council of Ministers Consecutive Assembly (Majlis ash-Shura) Committee members (sons and grandsons of the king) 5-member council Religious Leaders (Ulema) – 1 Chief of Justice (most senior Ulema)