The Saudi municipal elections, which began on February 10, have provoked glib predictions of “the first step on the road to democracy.” Yet the elections represent simply another – and for the time being – successful coping mechanism for a skilled royal family that has ruled almost continuously for 250 years.

Full Text: “Between the International Hammer and the Local Anvil: Municipal Elections in Saudi Arabia,” Tel Aviv Notes, No. 129, March 15, 2005.