Here's what Arabic Twitter has to say about the Saudi elections

Published December 13th, 2015 - 07:06 GMT
In a country that doesn't see change often, Saudi's female candidates and winners prompted a mixed response on Twitter. (AFP/File)
In a country that doesn't see change often, Saudi's female candidates and winners prompted a mixed response on Twitter. (AFP/File)

Whether it's four as the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reports or 9-17 as other outlets say, a number of women have been elected to public office for the first time in Saudi Arabia's history.

After the election Saturday, the SPA reports female representatives were elected in Mecca, Jawf and Tabuk. And though the council holds limited power in the country, the move is hailed as a benchmarch toward gender equality in a Kingdom with a pretty lousy track record thus far—the female ban on driving is still alive and kicking. 

Even in the lead-up to the election, a number of obstacles stood in the way of women candidates and voters. As the BBC reports, 130,000 women registered to vote, in comparison with 1.35 million men. Women were not allowed to address male voters during the election, and the AFP reports low female turnout in light of "bureaucratic issues and lack of trasport." So we're back to the whole, no-driving thing. 

This is also one of the only times Saudis—male of female—have ever been to the polls This election is only the third in the country's history, since no elections took place for 40 years between 1965 and 2005. 

Saturday's polls saw 2,100 seats up for election, while the king appoints another 1,050. 

On Arabic Twitter, the election response was a varied mix of apathy, celebration and non-sequitors. Have a look below. 

 

Congratulations to all Saudi women, and to Salma Al Otebi the first Saud woman to win an election.


I think the result will be disputed as there were names for dead people in the election registry. (Whatever that means...)

Congratulations to every woman who won in the election.

One big day for Saudi women, after a woman was able to won the election for the municipality council in Mecca.

The first Saudi woman won in an election, however the election is useless and the council itself is powerless.

A Saudi woman won the elections!!! Where did all the men go!!!

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