Here’s How Political Figures Reacted to Saudi Women Being Able to Drive
King Salman bin Abdulaziz issued a royal decree that will allow Saudi women to drive. The decree has ordered that a ministerial body to be set up to give advice within 30 days, and that the order will be implemented by June 2018.
To celebrate Tuesday’s decree, several Saudi women posted images on social media deleting their ride-sharing apps. News of the decision became the top trending on Twitter, with many posts tagged #SaudiWomenCanDrive. Political leaders from all over the world commented on this positive step towards a more liberalized Saudi Arabia.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the decision in a tweet.
US President Donald Trump commented in a White House press office statement that called the change “a positive step toward promoting the rights and opportunities of women in Saudi Arabia.” US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert called the move “a great step in the right direction.”
“Today was a historic day for women in Saudi Arabia as a decree was announced to lift the ban on women drivers. #SaudiArabia,” Ivanka Trump, who has 4.62 million followers, posted on Twitter.
State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert says the US is “happy” with the move.
