By Associated Press, Updated: Sunday, September 25, 10:09 AM

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Saudi King Abdullah has given the kingdom’s women the right to vote for first time in nationwide local elections, due in 2015.

The king said in an annual speech on Sunday before his advisory assembly, or Shura Council, that Saudi women will be able to run and cast ballots in the 2015 municipal elections.
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Abdullah says women will also be appointed to “join the all-male” Shura Council, which is selected by Abdullah.

Saudi Arabia held its first-ever municipal elections in 2005.

The kingdom will hold its next municipal elections on Thursday, but women are not able to vote or run at this time.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Good man

Can they vote in a new King? Realy the royal family by an accident of birth will continue to reap the profits of all that oil. (Its a family business)

Thats kewl. Not the first muslim country to do so, and hopefully not the last. Now perhaps america will catch up with the muslim world and actually have a female PRESIDENT.

Don't f..k till 2015.

Baby steps. Saudi Arabia is no longer immune to worldwide pressure. Perhaps because the King lacks the protections afforded by a powerful American President.

Personally, I think its awesome that women's rights are becoming recognized in different places of the world outside of the United States.......the right to vote is just the beginning, even though it doesnt start until 2015....its still a start

International pressure? WHAT A CROCK! HOW ABOUT NATIONAL SOVERIGNTY? Fuque the UN. Saudi Arabia has been having more and more women actually risk severe punishment for civil disobedience. The women are beginning to protest but likewise I also have to wonder if he is getting sick and tired of being told what to do by Islamics in his country.

This is one of those tiomes to not celebrate yet. 2015 is still a few years away and he could backpeddle on his descision by then. Personally don't look too deep into this one. Had he said "Next Year's ELection" that would have carried a LOT more weight.

Also they are trying to avoid having what is happening in Yemen and Bahrain to spill into their nation like things have been thtreatening to do for the last two years.

Its still just a half full glass of water.

I don't really care WHY they're doing it. I doubt that the women of Saudi Arabia do either. I agree, however that there's lots of room for back-peddling. Just the indication that the King is vulnerable to international public pressure is encouraging to me.

bush is out of office.. i know your not talking about the sacless joke in office now...or are you talking about 2013?

I understand there will always be an opportunity to say something mean about President Obama, but I don't see how anybody can claim that he affords the Saudi Arabian King the same kind of affetions that Bush provided. Can you think of any similar kinds of things that Obama has done? I haven't seen any pictures of him holding hands and making out and providing planes for the royal family to escape dangerous situations. I haven't read about any intense business relationships between the President and the House of Saud. Can you think of anything like that? That's not 2013. That's 2009-present.

he has been there twice already, and wouldn't take his wife with him... she went to spain, and he went to saudi...he had to go see his muslim brothers

Heads of State often meet in the country of one or the other. It seems like a leap to conclude that President Obama is related to any Saudis.



Is this really what you meant to write? This is one of those things that Faux News watchers believe, but nobody else.

no, just the looney left doesn't believe it...

what average trips does the head of the country make to Saudi? were all those trips because muslims are their brothers?

and , what IF muslims ARE their breothers?

Can we please keep the thread drama free and keep to what its really about women's rights. Thank you.

can you imagine? Politics without drama?

no "if" there

i'm sorry seak, i'll stay on topic now