Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud is determined to liberate the country’s economy from its reliance on oil.

This commitment has spurred a series of significant decisions aimed at modernizing Saudi Arabia and opening it up to the world. However, a major challenge hindering these efforts is the perceived deficit in political, economic, and legal autonomy.

The recent Atlantic Council Comprehensive Freedom Report 2024 underscores how Saudi Arabia’s dearth of political freedoms has historically impeded social and economic progress, serving as a formidable barrier to its development.

The report portrays Saudi Arabia as an absolute monarchy entrenched in considerable oil wealth, reflecting a prevailing trend in the Middle East and North Africa region where power is often concentrated around individuals. This centralized power structure has limited opportunities for local citizens and hindered the equitable distribution of authority.

Yet, the Crown Prince’s initiatives signal a shift in Saudi Arabia’s trajectory. Embarking on the ambitious Saudi Vision 2030, the nation is actively striving to lessen its oil dependency and enact profound economic changes.

Despite strides in economic freedom, Saudi Arabia still trails behind in overall freedom scores, maintaining a score lower than the regional average. While economic reforms have buoyed these scores, advancements in political freedoms remain elusive.

The report underscores that Saudi Arabia’s political freedom ranks among the lowest globally, with scant progress across various indicators. Although the Saudi Vision 2030 emphasizes economic reforms, it notably overlooks political reform, raising concerns about human rights violations within the state.

While legal freedoms have seen modest improvements over the past two decades, challenges persist, particularly in clarity of laws and judicial independence. The report highlights a correlation between deficiencies in legal freedoms and broader limitations on political rights and civil liberties within Saudi Arabia.

Despite progress, these shortcomings underscore the need for a holistic approach to reforms, ensuring that social, economic, and legal freedoms advance in tandem.