Saudi king gives women right to vote

Saudi King Abdullah announced on Sunday he was giving women the right to vote and run in municipal elections, the only public polls in the ultra-conservative Gulf kingdom.


He also announced that women would have the right to join the all-appointed Shura (consultative) Council, in an address opening a new term of the council.


“Starting with the next term, women will have the right to run in municipal elections and to choose candidates, according to Islamic principles,” he said.


This means that women will be able to take part in the elections that will be held in four years as the next vote is due to take place on Thursday and nominations for those polls are already in.Saudi Arabia’s Shura Council had recommended allowing women to vote in the next local polls, officials have said