RIYADH/JEDDAH/DAMMAM, 14 October 2003 — Citizens all over Saudi Arabia have cautiously welcomed the announcement that half the members of municipal councils are to be elected by popular vote, but many say they remain to be convinced that it is going to make a real difference in the way the country is governed.

Riyadh businesswoman Laila Teimouri said: “I am very optimistic that the election process will produce positive results. I hope the change came from within, without pressure from outside.”

“The reforms and the changes will bring improvement,” she said, adding that she hoped they would be gradual because in Saudi Arabia people had no experience of power-sharing.

“It’s a step in the right direction,” said Riyadh resident Ahmed Khairallah. But he added that the elections to the municipal councils should not be based on tribal loyalty, tribal affiliations or personal connections. “There should be rules governing the eligibility of candidates, and they have to set out a clear program of what they want to do for the welfare of the people.”

The sentiment was echoed in Jeddah. “It should make for better communication between the decision makers and those affected by the decisions made in the municipalities,” said Hisham Bayounes, 24, a medical student at King Abdul Aziz University.

Others wondered if the move was as groundbreaking as it seems. “I think it’s a good idea,” said Saleh Al-Mutairi, 20, an accounting and finance student at King Abdul Aziz University. “But I am a little skeptical about how this is going to work. Will the elected members really have that much influence? Is this just for show because Saudi Arabia wants to join the WTO or is this for real?”

But a greater number of Jeddah residents were inclined to welcome the decision. Dr. Majed Al-Qassabi, director general of the Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Charitable Foundation, said: “We all welcome the announcement. This proves that the Kingdom wants to involve its citizens in the decision-making process.”

Majed Qarub, a legal consultant and chairman of the International Federation of Lawyers, had the wider implications of the decision in mind: “This will enhance social awareness among citizens, because they will realize the need to participate in the decision-making process and make their voices heard at higher levels,” he said.

In the Eastern Province, residents had been expecting such a decision, but many admit that they did not expect it to come so soon. There was an element of pleasant shock among businessmen, social activists and academics, who said it marked an important beginning. However, there was a consensus among various groups that the country was not yet ready to emulate Western kind of democracy.

Saleh Al-Humaidan, managing director of Al-Youm Group of Publications, welcomed the decision and said that he favored “people’s participation at local and regional levels”.

“This will pave the way for a future course of action and educate people about the election process,” said Abdullah Qahtani, a former member of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.