Consultative Assembly of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Consultative Assembly

مجلس الشورى السعودي

Majlis ash-Shūra as-Saʿūdiyy
Type
Type
Established1924 (1924)de facto
1926 (1926)de jure
1992 (1992)current form
Leadership
Speaker
Seats150
Elections
Last election
None (all members appointed)
Meeting place
Palace of Yamamah, Riyadh
Website
Official English Site

The Consultative Assembly of Saudi Arabia (Arabic: مجلس الشورى السعودي, romanized: Maǧlis aš-Šūrā s-Saʿūdiyy), also known as Majlis ash-Shura or The Shura Council, is the formal advisory body of Saudi Arabia. It was originally founded in 1924 as the National Council during the Sultanate of Nejd, It was later renamed to Consultative Assembly in 1992 following the issuance of the Basic Law of Governance, marking its establishment in its modern form as a legislative advisory body. It is a deliberative assembly that advises the King on issues that are important to the kingdom. It has the power to propose laws to the King of Saudi Arabia and his cabinet to approve it and pass it. It has 150 members, all appointed by the king and chosen "from amongst scholars, those of knowledge, expertise and specialists". Since 2013, the Assembly has included 30 female members out of the total of 150 members, after a 20 percent minimum quota for women was imposed.