Saudi Local Administration: Current Status and Future Perceptions on Decentralization Application

Abstract

This study explores the future of decentralization in Saudi Arabia, identifying potential and inhibiting factors and analyzing the current state of local administration. According to the literature on decentralization, there is no one-size-fits-all model, as each country's circumstances determine the extent to which it can be applied. In Saudi Arabia, there has been a historical oscillation between decentralization and centralization, influenced by factors such as the central government's economic capacity. The study concludes that the future direction of the Saudi administration is likely to be more decentralized. This requires the development of a unified local administration system, granting administrative, financial, and legal entities to Local Administration through representative councils. This would reduce reliance on central bureaucracies when making local decisions.