Article 58 of the Saudi Basic Law of Governance
المادة 58 من النظام الأساسي للحكم · الباب السادس: سلطات الدولة
The Article provides that the King appoints and relieves by royal order those of ministerial rank, deputy ministers and those of excellent grade, and that ministers and heads of independent agencies are responsible before the Prime Minister.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يعين الملك من في مرتبة الوزراء ونواب الوزراء ، ومن في المرتبة الممتازة ، ويعفيهم من مناصبهم بأمر ملكي ، وذلك وفقا لما يبينه النظام.
ويعتبر الوزراء ورؤساء المصالح المستقلة، مسئولين أمام رئيس مجلس الوزراء عن الوزارات والمصالح التي يرأسونها.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 58 explained in plain English
This Article contains two provisions:
- Appointment and relief by royal order: the King appoints and relieves from their positions by royal order each of:
- Those of ministerial rank;
- Deputy ministers;
- Those of excellent grade.
- Responsibility before the Prime Minister: ministers and heads of independent agencies are responsible before the Prime Minister for the ministries and agencies they head.
This responsibility differs from what Article 57 establishes: Article 57 makes the deputy prime ministers and the ministers who are members of the Council of Ministers jointly responsible before the King for the application of Islamic Sharia, the laws and the State's general policy, while Article 58 makes each minister and head of an independent agency responsible before the Prime Minister for the body he heads.
The Article is also linked to Article 59, which provides that the law sets out the rules of the civil service, including salaries, bonuses, compensation, benefits and pensions.
The Article does not define what is meant by excellent grade or independent agencies, and leaves that to what the law sets out.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 58 of the Saudi Basic Law of Governance
Who appoints those of excellent grade?
Article 58 provides that the King appoints those of excellent grade and relieves them from their positions by royal order, as the law sets out.
Before whom is a minister responsible for his ministry?
The Article provides that ministers and heads of independent agencies are responsible before the Prime Minister for the ministries and agencies they head.
What is the difference between the responsibility in Article 57 and Article 58?
Article 57 establishes joint responsibility before the King for the application of Sharia, the laws and the general policy, and Article 58 establishes each minister's responsibility for his body before the Prime Minister.
More articles on The King and the Council of Ministers
- Article 44
The Article sets out the State's three authorities, the judicial, executive and regulatory, provides that they cooperate in accordance with the laws, and states that the King is their reference.
تتكون السلطات في الدولة من : - السلطة القضائية. - السلطة التنفيذية. - السلطة التنظيمية. وتتعاون هذه السلطات في أداء وظائفها، وفقا لهذا النظام وغيره من الأنظمة،
- Article 55
The Article provides that the King runs the affairs of the nation in accordance with Sharia policy based on the rules of Islam, and supervises the application of Sharia, the laws and the general policy, and the protection and defense of the country.
يقوم الملك بسياسة الأمة سياسة شرعية طبقا لأحكام الإسلام ، ويشرف على تطبيق الشريعة الإسلامية ، والأنظمة، والسياسة العامة للدولة ، وحماية البلاد والدفاع عنها.
- Article 56
The Article provides that the King is the head of the Council of Ministers, assisted by its members, and refers to the Council of Ministers Law the Council's powers and matters concerning ministers.
الملك هو رئيس مجلس الوزراء ، ويعاونه في أداء مهامه أعضاء مجلس الوزراء ، وذلك وفقا لأحكام هذا النظام وغيره من الأنظمة، ويبين نظام مجلس الوزراء صلاحيات المجلس فيم
- Article 57
The Article provides that the King appoints and relieves the deputy prime ministers and ministers by royal order, that they are jointly responsible before him, and that he may dissolve the Council of Ministers and reconstitute it.
أ - يعين الملك نواب رئيس مجلس الوزراء و الوزراء الأعضاء بمجلس الوزراء ، ويعفيهم بأمر ملكي . ب - يعتبر نواب رئيس مجلس الوزراء ، و الوزراء الأعضاء بمجلس الوزراء ،
- Article 59
The Article refers to the law the rules of the civil service, including salaries, bonuses, compensation, benefits and pensions.
يبين النظام أحكام الخدمة المدنية ، بما في ذلك المرتبات ، والمكافآت ، والتعويضات ، والمزايا ، والمعاشات التقاعدية .
- Article 60
The Article provides that the King is the Supreme Commander of all military forces and is the one who appoints officers and ends their service in accordance with the law.
الملك هو القائد الأعلى لكافة القوات العسكرية ، وهو الذي يعين الضباط ، وينهي خدماتهم، وفقا للنظام.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.