Saudi allows women to join in 2015 municipal elections
Xinhua, April 29, 2015 Adjust font size:
Saudi Arabia announced it will hold the third municipal council poll by reducing the voting age to 18 years old.
In addition, and for the first time, it will allow women to participate both as candidates and voters, Saudi Press Agency reported Wednesday.
Head of the General Municipal Election Committee, Abdulrahman Al Damhash, in a statement said that voting will be in August, where 20 percent of election members will be females to deal with female candidates and voters.
In 2005, elections for half the municipal councilors were held, with men voting for male candidates.
In February 2009 it was announced that the 2009 municipal elections would be postponed indefinitely "for evaluation."
A government spokesperson said they were postponed in order to consider women's suffrage in the coming elections.
The municipal elections eventually took place in 2011, but universal suffrage was delayed until 2015.
Saudi Arabia has no elected parliament, rather an appointed consultative council, where members can propose legislation without the power to draft or approve laws. Endit