"Strong foundations": the imperative for reform in Saudi Arabia

By Edward Burke and Ana Echagüe

Under the rule of King Abdullah Saudi Arabia appears to be slowly moving away from an exclusivist conservative doctrine towards a wider embrace of the beliefs and aspirations of its citizens. As this new FRIDE report points out, however, such a shift has been more in tone than substance. Mechanisms have not emerged to ensure more accountable government nor has there been a significant restructuring of the legal system to guarantee the rights of citizens. The country’s nascent civil society organisations operate within a narrow and vulnerable space, lacking the necessary legal guarantees to develop as a strong check on the abuses of power. King Abdullah has recognised that demography and the demands of a new generation of Saudi citizens have rendered the Kingdom’s old oil-dependent ‘rentier’ habits redundant for the future. The report argues however that moves to diversify Saudi Arabia’s economy and empower its youth with the skills to prosper in a global competitive environment cannot be separated from wider political reform that will sustain progress by ushering in a new era of participatory and accountable government. It concludes that Saudi Arabia must move away from its current almost total reliance upon the fortunes of its founding and ruling family towards a shared responsibility in charting the country’s future direction.