National Assembly Party

The National Assembly Party (Arabic: حزب التجمع الوطني‎) or NAAS (lit. 'people')[1] is an opposition party of Saudi Arabia with members mostly in exile.[2]

National Assembly Party
Secretary-GeneralYahya Assiri
SpokespersonMadawi al-Rasheed
Founded23 September 2020 (2020-09-23)
IdeologyParliamentary democracy
Republicanism
Anti-monarchism
Political positionBig tent
Website
the-naas.com

Founded in September 2020 on Saudi National Day, it is the first organized political resistance founded during the rule of King Salman, during which, as of February 2021, political parties remained banned.[1]

Platform

NAAS is described as a pro-democracy group.[1][2]

The group maintains that the country should be governed with the idea of separation of powers, calling for creation of an elected parliament and an independent judiciary based on a constitution approved by the people.[1] According to the Middle East Eye, the group has not elaborated on its position on the fate of the current monarchy and the House of Saud in their proposed system.[1] The NAAS spokesperson wrote an opinion on the publication titled "a vision for a democratic Saudi Arabia free from the house of Saud".[3]

The party criticizes Saudi Arabia's foreign policy towards countries in the region, terming it as "aggressive".[1]

Membership

Yahya Assiri is the party's general-secretary[4] and Madawi al-Rasheed serves as the spokesperson.[5] In addition to the two, the party's inaugural statement was signed by Ahmed Almshikhs, Saeed al-Ghamdi, Abdullah al-Ouda (son of Salman al-Ouda) and Omar Al-Zahrani on behalf of the founders. Omar Abdulaziz is also a member.[4]

References
  1. "Saudi dissidents launch new party calling for democracy in kingdom", The Middle East Eye, 23 September 2020
  2. El Yaakoubi, Aziz (23 September 2020), Maclean, William (ed.), "Saudi dissidents form pro-democracy political group", Reuters
  3. al-Rasheed, Madawi (25 September 2020), "A vision for a democratic Saudi Arabia free from the house of Saud", Reuters
  4. "Exiled Saudi dissidents launch opposition party", Al Jazeera, 23 September 2020
  5. "Saudi exiles form opposition party, call for peaceful change", Deutsche Welle, 23 September 2020
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