The first round of the Saudi municipal elections will pick half the members of 178 local councils. The government will appoint the other half.

The capital, Riyadh, voted on February 10th and 73.6% of its 140,000 registered voters - about 30% of total eligible voters - took part. The municipal vote came a week after US President George Bush urged Riyadh to "demonstrate its leadership in the region by expanding the role of its people in determining their future". The nationwide vote is said to be a cautious initial step towards reforms in the ultra-conservative kingdom, which Riyadh insists must be tailored to Saudi specifications.