Article 48 of the Saudi Chambers of Commerce Law
المادة 48 من نظام الغرف التجارية · الفصل الثاني: الأجهزة الإدارية لاتحاد الغرف
The Federation's board elects its president and two deputies by secret ballot and absolute majority, the Minister appoints them for three years, and the president may not run for the next term unless he or she served less than a year.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يعقد مجلس إدارة اتحاد الغرف أول اجتماع له خلال المدة التي تحددها اللائحة لاختيار رئيس المجلس ونائبيه الأول والثاني من بين أعضائه، ويتم الانتخاب بالاقتراع السري لكل على حدة، ويقع الاختيار على الحاصل على الأغلبية المطلقة بالنسبة إلى عدد أصوات أعضاء المجلس الحاضرين. فإذا لم تتحقق هذه الأغلبية، يُعاد التصويت مباشرة، وعند التساوي -في حالة الإعادة- في عدد الأصوات تجرى قرعة بحضور مندوب من الوزارة إذا رأت الوزارة الحاجة إلى ذلك.
2- يصدر بتعيين رئيس اتحاد الغرف ونائبيه قرار من الوزير، وتكون مدة (دورة) رئيس الاتحاد ونائبيه (ثلاث) سنوات.
3- لا يجوز لرئيس اتحاد الغرف ترشيح نفسه لرئاسة الاتحاد لدورة تالية للدورة التي رأسه فيها، ما لم يكن قد أمضى مدة تقل عن سنة في رئاسته، فيجوز له إعادة ترشيح نفسه لرئاسة الاتحاد.
4- يتولى النائب الأول لرئيس اتحاد الغرف مهمات الرئيس في حال غيابه أو عجزه عن أدائها، وله ممارسة جميع صلاحياته، وفي حال غيابهما يتولى النائب الثاني هذه المهمات.
5- دون إخلال بما ورد في الفقرة (4) من هذه المادة، يجوز في حال تعذر حضور رئيس أي غرفة إنابة أحد نائبيه.
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 48 explained in plain English
This article governs the choice of the Federation of Chambers' president and two deputies and the length of their term:
- Election: the board holds its first meeting, within a period set by the Regulations, to choose the president, the first deputy and the second deputy from among its members, by secret ballot for each position separately. The winner is whoever gets an absolute majority of the votes of the members present; if this is not reached, the vote is repeated immediately, and in a tie in the repeat vote a draw is held in the presence of a Ministry representative if the Ministry sees a need for that.
- Appointment and term: the president and his or her two deputies are appointed by a decision of the Minister, and their term is three years.
- Limit on running again: the Federation's president may not nominate himself or herself for the presidency in the term following his or her term, unless he or she served less than a year as president.
- Deputizing: the first deputy carries out the president's duties when the president is absent or unable, with all of the president's powers, and when both are absent the second deputy does so.
- Deputizing for a chamber's president: without prejudice to paragraph (4), where the president of any chamber cannot attend, one of his or her two deputies may attend in his or her place.
The members from whom the president is chosen are the chambers' presidents, since Article 47 makes the board consist of them. Note that the limit on running again concerns the term immediately following, and the text does not deal with what comes after. It is followed by Article 49, which sets the board's powers.
Practical example
One of the chambers' presidents served as president of the Federation of Chambers for a full three-year term. Under paragraph (3), he or she may not nominate himself or herself for the Federation's presidency in the immediately following term. But if he or she took over the presidency during the term and served less than a year, he or she may nominate himself or herself again.
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 48 of the Saudi Chambers of Commerce Law
How is the president of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce elected?
The Federation's board elects the president from among its members by secret ballot, the winner being whoever gets an absolute majority of the votes of those present, and the Minister then issues a decision appointing the president.
How long is the term of the Federation's president?
The term of the Federation's president and his or her two deputies is three years.
May the Federation's president run for a second term?
He or she may not run for the term following his or her term, unless he or she served less than a year as president.
What happens if the votes are tied in electing the Federation's president?
The vote is repeated immediately, and in a tie in the repeat vote a draw is held in the presence of a Ministry representative if the Ministry sees a need for that.
More articles on Federation Board of Directors
- Article 43
Article 43 names the three administrative bodies of the Federation of Chambers: the General Assembly, the board of directors, and the General Secretariat.
تتكون أجهزة اتحاد الغرف الإدارية مما يأتي: 1- الجمعية العمومية. 2- مجلس الإدارة. 3- الأمانة العامة.
- Article 44
The Federation's General Assembly is made up of the chambers, each represented by members of its board other than its president, according to its number of subscribers under the Regulations and with a minimum of one member.
تتكون الجمعية العمومية لاتحاد الغرف من الغرف، ويتم تمثيل الغرفة في الجمعية العمومية من بين أعضاء مجلس إدارة الغرفة عدا رئيسها، ويكون تمثيل كل غرفة في الجمعية ال
- Article 45
Article 45 sets the powers of the Federation's General Assembly: following the board, discussing matters, approving the report, final accounts, budget and internal regulations, and approving the auditor.
تختص الجمعية العمومية لاتحاد الغرف بما يأتي: 1- متابعة أعمال مجلس إدارة الاتحاد. 2- مناقشة الموضوعات المتعلقة بالاتحاد التي يقدمها إليها أي من أعضائها. 3- مناقش
- Article 46
The Federation's General Assembly meets yearly within 90 days of the end of the fiscal year, and may be called at the request of the board or 20% of its members, with meetings and voting allowed electronically.
1- تجتمع الجمعية العمومية لاتحاد الغرف في مقره الرئيس مرة على الأقل كل سنة خلال الـــ(تسعين) يوماً التالية لانتهاء السنة المالية، وذلك بدعوة من رئيس اتحاد الغرف
- Article 47
Article 47 provides that the Federation of Chambers' board of directors is made up of the presidents of the chambers.
يتكون مجلس إدارة اتحاد الغرف من رؤساء الغرف.
- Article 49
Article 49 sets the powers of the Federation of Chambers' board: policies and decisions, acting on the Federation's behalf, resolving disputes between chambers and their board members, following performance, referring the budget to the Assembly, and forming committees.
يختص مجلس إدارة اتحاد الغرف بما يأتي: 1- وضع السياسات العامة والخطط والبرامج في حدود مهمات الاتحاد. 2- إصدار القرارات والتعليمات اللازمة لأداء الاتحاد لمهماته.
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.