Governments of the Middle East

Information courtesy of the CIA at

GPS SS7CG2

Turkey

  • Type of government:Republican Parliamentary Democracy—a political system in which the legislature (parliament) selects the government (President, Prime Minister, and cabinet ministers) according to party strength as expressed in elections. By this system, the government acquires a dual responsibility—to the people as well as to the parliament. A form of government in which the supreme power is retained by the people, but which is usually exercised indirectly through a system of representation and delegated authority.
  • Form of leadership: chief of state: President Ahmet Necdet SEZER (since 16 May 2000)
    head of government: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (14 March 2003)
    cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister
    elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a seven-year term; election last held 5 May 2000 (next to be held May 2007); prime minister appointed by the president from among members of parliament
  • Type of legislature:unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey (550 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  • Role of the citizen:Vote for the National Assembly directly and other members of government through their chosen representatives. Turkey has political parties and pressure groups.

Israel

  • Type of government:Parliamentary Democracy—in general terms, it is similar to that of Turkey.
  • Form of leadership:chief of state: President Moshe KATZAV (since 31 July 2000)
    head of government: Prime Minister Ariel SHARON (since 7 March 2001)
    cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the Knesset
    elections: president is largely a ceremonial role and is elected by the Knesset for a seven-year term; election last held 31 July 2000 (next to be held mid-2007); following legislative elections, the president assigns a Knesset member - traditionally the leader of the largest party - the task of forming a governing coalition; election last held 28 January 2003 (next scheduled to be held fall of 2006)
  • Type of legislature:unicameral Knesset (120 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  • Role of the citizen:Vote for representatives in the Knesset. There are 15 political parties with 13 still remaining active. Pressure groups are active in Israel as well.

Iran

  • Type of government: Theocratic Republic—a form of government in which a Deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, but the Deity’s laws are interpreted by religious authorities (bishops, mullahs, etc . . .). In general terms, a government subject to religious authority.
  • Form of leadership: chief of state: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)
    head of government: President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD (since 3 August 2005) First Vice President Dr. Mohammad Reza AREF-Yazdi (since 26 August 2001)
    cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control over appointments to the more sensitive ministries
    elections: leader of the Islamic Revolution appointed for life by the Assembly of Experts; president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 17 June 2005 with a two-candidate runoff on 24 June 2005 (next to be held NA 2009)
  • Type of legislature: unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly (290 seats, note - changed from 270 seats with the 18 February 2000 election; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  • Role of the citizen: Popular vote to elect legislature. Political pressure groups conduct most of Iran's political activities; groups that generally support the Islamic Republic. Political parties are a relatively new thing for them.

Jordan

  • Type of government: Constitutional Monarchy—a system of government in which a monarch is guided by a constitution whereby his/her rights, duties, and responsibilities are spelled out in written law or by custom.
  • Form of leadership: chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Prince HUSSEIN (born 1994), son of King ABDALLAH, is first in line to inherit the throne
    head of government: Prime Minister Adnan BADRAN (since 7 April 2005); Deputy Prime Ministers Marwan al-MUASHER and Hisham al-TEL (since 3 July 2005)
    cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the monarch
    elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
  • Type of legislature:Bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate, also called the House of Notables (55 seats; members appointed by the monarch from designated categories of public figures; members serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives, also called the House of Deputies (110 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms; note - six seats are reserved for women and are allocated by a special electoral panel if no women are elected)
  • Role of the citizen: Limited to one house in the legislature branch. Many political parties and only a couple pressure groups.

Saudi Arabia

  • Type of government: Monarchy—a government in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of a monarch who reigns over a state or territory, usually for life and by hereditary right; the monarch may be either a sole absolute ruler or a sovereign - such as a king, queen, or prince - with constitutionally limited authority.
  • Form of leadership: chief of state: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 1 August 2005); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government
    head of government: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 1 August 2005); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government
    cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch and includes many royal family members
    elections: note - in October 2003, Council of Ministers announced its intent to introduce elections for half of the members of local and provincial assemblies and a third of the members of the national Consultative Council, incrementally over a period of four to five years; in November 2004, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs initiated voter registration for partial municipal council elections scheduled nationwide for February through April 2005. Still has not happened.
  • Type of legislature: Consultative Council (120 members and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms)
  • Role of the citizen: May have a future role. No political parties or pressure groups are allowed.

Note: Religion can be the guiding force in a country’s government in the Middle East such as that in Iran. At the very least, religion is a foundation for some of the political parties and pressure groups. Remember, Islam is not just any religion; it is a way of life.