The Parliamentary Administrative Committee introduced amendments to the draft Local Administration Law for the year 2026, focusing on enhancing governance, oversight, and accountability, expanding the developmental role of municipalities, increasing women and youth representation, and opening avenues for investment and public-private partnerships, alongside supporting digital transformation and elevating executive management efficiency.
اضافة اعلان
On Sunday, the House of Representatives will debate the draft law, which comprises 70 articles covering various facets and operations of local administration—including municipal work and governorate council operations—following its approval by the Parliamentary Administrative Committee.
Strengthening Oversight and Accountability
The amendments clarify the relationship between the municipal council and executive body: the council assumes responsibility for policies, strategies, and decisions, while the executive body handles preparation and implementation.
Furthermore, the executive body is mandated to submit monthly and quarterly reports to the municipal council regarding financial and administrative performance as well as project progress, alongside periodically publishing performance reports.
Expanding the Developmental Role of Municipalities
The amendments push to transition municipalities from service providers to developmental drivers by expanding their mandates in development, investment, local economic stimulation, and urban and strategic planning.
They also allow joint projects between governorate councils and neighboring municipalities to execute initiatives that extend beyond a single municipality's borders.
Raising Women's Representation and Engaging Youth
The amendments increase female representation to 30%, guaranteeing a seat for women on municipal executive boards, alongside involving youth under the age of 30 in governorate councils.
They also retain direct secret balloting for electing municipal council presidents and members, coupled with measures to reinforce electoral integrity.
Investment and Public-Private Partnerships
The amendments organize partnerships with the private sector to execute developmental, service, and investment projects, thereby boosting local development.
Additionally, they raise the municipal share of allocated capital expenditure to 16%.
Adopting the Needs Directory
The amendments link project prioritization to the local Needs Directory, directing projects toward actual needs with a focus on less-developed areas.
They also encompass integrated urban planning covering land use, transportation, waste management, water, sanitation, and stormwater drainage.
Boosting Administrative Efficiency and Digital Transformation
The amendments support digital transformation and automation to streamline procedures, improve service quality, increase revenues, and enhance transparency.
They maintain the mandatory appointment of a municipal director through the Public Service and Administration Commission. The executive management is tasked with preparing and executing strategic, developmental, and service plans under the oversight and monitoring of the municipal council.
Amendments to Governorate Councils
The amendments restructure governorate councils based on broader representation from elected bodies and sectors, linking their work directly to developmental and investment planning.
They stipulate that each municipality within a governorate names a representative to sit on the governorate council, while establishing a Governance and Institutional Follow-up Committee to review budgets, plans, and projects, as well as track financial, administrative, and service performance.
Lowering Candidacy Fees and Qualification Requirements
The amendments reduce candidacy fees to broaden political and local participation and promote equal opportunities.
Candidates running for president of Class I municipalities are required to hold a bachelor's degree, whereas literacy (reading and writing) is required for Class II and Class III municipal presidency candidates, as well as for all municipal council memberships.
Municipal Urban Development Observatory
The amendments introduce a definition for the "Municipal Urban Development Observatory" as a digital platform providing a unified municipal database to support decision-making and direct resources toward developmental priorities, as well as urban and strategic planning.
Parliamentary Administrative Committee member MP Ayatullah Al-Freihat stated on Thursday that the draft law contains 70 articles addressing local administration operations, spanning both municipal work and governorate councils.
He noted that the committee's work on the law extended over months since the ordinary session, involving meetings with the government and the minister in charge, as well as listening to MPs' views before the draft law was referred to the committee.
