Saudi Arabia

Shura Council

Political system
Monarchy
Structure of parliament
Unicameral
IPU membership
Yes

About parliament

Basic information such as the official name of parliament and details of its structure and leadership. Also includes the current breakdown of MPs by sex and age, and provisions for quotas and reserved seats.

Parliament name
Majlis Ash-Shura (Shura Council)
Chamber name
Majlis Ash-Shura (Shura Council)
Structure & status of parliament
Lower chamber
Parliamentary term (years)
4

IPU membership

Affiliation periods
from 2003
IPU Geopolitical Group/s
Arab group

Speaker

Official title
President of the Shura Council
Speaker
Abdullah Al Sheikh (Male)
Date of birth: 29 Apr 1949
Term
28 Feb 2009
Additional information

Appointed on 28 Feb.2009, re-appointed on 11 Jan. 2013, on 2 Dec. 2016, on 18 Oct. 2020 and on 2 Sep. 2024.

Speaker terms

No information available

Secretary general

Official title
Secretary General
Secretary General
Mohammed Almutairi (Male)
Term
26 Feb 2018
Notes

Appointed on 26 February 2018.

Members

Statutory number of members
151

Notes: 150 members and the Speaker, appointed by the King.

Principal mode of designation of members
Appointed
Appointed members
151
Current number of members
151
Men
121
Women
30
Percentage of women
19.9%
Statutory number of members per country
151
Population (in thousands)
33,264
Inhabitants per parliamentarian
220,291

Age

Data on the age of parliamentarians is collected at the start of the legislature, following the most recent elections. This data is not updated during the legislature, except when parliament notifies the IPU of a change in the youngest or oldest member.

Average age of all members
No information available
Youngest member
Dr. Abdullrahman Ali Aljabr (Male)
Youngest member (years)
37
Oldest member
Gen. Auwad Eid Albalawi (Male)
Oldest member (years)
71
Number of members, by age (2024-09)
Breakdown of members by age and gender
18 - 20 21 - 30 31 - 40 41 - 45 46 - 50 51 - 60 61 - 70 71 - 80 81 - 90 91 and over Totals per gender
Male 0 0 2 9 12 52 39 1 0 0 115
Female 0 0 1 6 4 12 4 0 0 0 27
Totals per age interval 0 0 3 15 16 64 43 1 0 0 142
Total <= 45: 18 Total >= 46: 124
Percentage of members, by age
Age at the last election or renewal Overall Male Female
Percentage of MPs 30 years of age or younger
0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Percentage of MPs 40 years of age or younger
2.1% 1% 0.7%
Percentage of MPs 45 years of age or younger
12.7% 8% 4.9%
Members for whom age data is not available
9
(2024-09)

Reserved seats and quotas

There are reserved seats in parliament for certain groups
Yes
Women
30
Electoral quota for women
Yes

Notes: A January 2011 Royal Order amended the composition of the previously all-male 150-member Consultative Council by reserving 20% of its seats for women members.

Sources: Royal Order

Youth quota
No

Links to additional information

Parliamentary website
List of members
Rules of procedure/Standing Orders
Constitution

Historical data for IPU membership

Historical data for IPU membership
Year IPU membership
2020-09
List of values for 2020-09
No
2019-04
List of values for 2019-04
No
2018-06
List of values for 2018-06
No