{{Infobox political party | name = National Assembly Party | native_name = حزب التجمع الوطني | native_name_lang = ar | logo = Logo of the National Assembly Party.png | colorcode = #2b3593 | secretary_general = Yahya Assiri | spokesperson = Madawi al-Rasheed | foundation = {{start date and age|2020|09|23|df=y}} | headquarters = London, UK | ideology = Parliamentary democracy<br>Anti-House of Saud | position = Catch-all | website = {{url|the-naas.com}} | country = Saudi Arabia }} The '''National Assembly Party''' ({{langx|ar|حزب التجمع الوطني}}) or '''NAAS''' ({{langx|ar|ناس}}; {{literal translation|people}})<ref name="tmee"/> is an opposition party of Saudi Arabia with members (mostly) in exile.<ref name="reuters">{{citation|first=Aziz|last=El Yaakoubi|editor-first=William|editor-last=Maclean|title=Saudi dissidents form pro-democracy political group|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-saudi-politics-dissidents/saudi-dissidents-form-pro-democracy-political-group-idUKKCN26E2Z9|date=23 September 2020|work=Reuters}}</ref>
Founded in September 2020 on Saudi National Day, it is the first organized political resistance founded during the rule of King Salman, during which, as of {{CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{CURRENTYEAR}}, political parties remained banned.<ref name="tmee"/>
==Platform== NAAS is described as a pro-democracy group.<ref name="tmee"/><ref name="reuters"/>
The group maintains that the country should be governed with the idea of separation of powers, calling for creation of an elected parliament and an independent judiciary based on a constitution approved by the people.<ref name="tmee"/> According to the Middle East Eye, the group has not elaborated on its position on the fate of the current monarchy and the House of Saud in their proposed system.<ref name="tmee"/> The NAAS spokesperson wrote an opinion on the publication titled "a vision for a democratic Saudi Arabia free from the house of Saud".<ref>{{cite news|first=Madawi|last=al-Rasheed|title=A vision for a democratic Saudi Arabia free from the house of Saud|url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/future-saudi-arabia-should-not-be-left-hands-house-saud|date=25 September 2020|agency=Reuters}}</ref>
The party criticizes Saudi Arabia's foreign policy towards countries in the region, terming it as "aggressive".<ref name="tmee">{{citation|title=Saudi dissidents launch new party calling for democracy in kingdom|url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/saudi-dissidents-launch-new-party-calling-democracy|date=23 September 2020|work=The Middle East Eye}}</ref>
==History== The idea of the opposition party was established through failed experiments or practices that preceded it (Islamist or Leftist), whether they were calling for political participation or separatism.
==Membership== Yahya Assiri is the party's general-secretary<ref name="aljazeera">{{citation|title=Exiled Saudi dissidents launch opposition party|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/9/23/exiled-saudi-dissidents-launch-opposition-party|date=23 September 2020|work=Al Jazeera}}</ref> and Madawi al-Rasheed serves as the spokesperson.<ref name="dw">{{citation|title=Saudi exiles form opposition party, call for peaceful change|url=https://www.dw.com/en/saudi-exiles-form-opposition-party-call-for-peaceful-change/a-55035008|date=23 September 2020|work=Deutsche Welle}}</ref> In addition to the two, the party's inaugural statement was signed by Ahmed Almshikhs, Saeed al-Ghamdi, Abdullah Al-Ouda (son of Salman al-Ouda) and Omar Al-Zahrani on behalf of the founders. Omar Abdulaziz is also a member.<ref name="aljazeera"/>
==See also== *List of political parties in Saudi Arabia *Committee for the Defense of Legitimate Rights, Saudi group created in 1993 that openly opposed the monarchy, based in Saudi Arabia
==References== {{Portal|Saudi Arabia|Politics}} {{Reflist}} {{Saudi Arabian political parties}} Category:2020 establishments in Saudi Arabia Category:Political parties established in 2020 Category:Political parties in Saudi Arabia Category:Saudi Arabian opposition groups