2021_Qatari_general_election

2021 Qatari general election

2021 Qatari general election

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General elections were held in Qatar for the first time on 2 October 2021, following an announcement by the Emir of Qatar on 22 August 2021.[1] The elections for the Consultative Assembly were originally scheduled for the second half of 2013,[2] but were postponed in June 2013 until at least 2016.[3] In 2016 they were postponed again.[4] Finally, in November 2020, Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani pledged to hold the election in October 2021.[5]

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Background

The elections were originally scheduled to be held in the last six months of 2013, but were postponed prior to the retiring Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani transferring power to his son Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.[6] The Consultative Assembly's term was extended until 2016[7] and then until 2019.[4]

In October 2019 Al Thani issued an order for a committee to be formed to organise the elections, chaired by Prime Minister Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdul Aziz Al Thani.[8]

Electoral system

Men and women aged over 18 are eligible to vote for 30 of the 45 seats in the Consultative Assembly according to the constitution,[9][10] with the remainder appointed by the Emir.[11]

On 29 July 2021, Al Thani approved the electoral law, which mandated the thirty members being elected from single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post voting.[12] The law requires candidates to be at least thirty years old and 'of Qatari origin' (as defined by the 2005 nationality law).[11] This limited voting to those descended from people who held citizenship in 1930,[13] barring people who had been naturalised and members of the Al Murrah tribe from contesting the election and leading to protests.[11]

Campaign

A total of 284 candidates contested the 30 seats, with 29 women running.[13] Political parties are banned and all candidates ran as independents.[14]

Preliminary results

No women were elected.[15] Voter turnout was 63.5%.[16] According to Human Rights Watch, thousands of Qataris were excluded from voting.[17]

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References

  1. [1]
    "Qatar sets Oct. 2 for first legislative elections". Reuters. 22 August 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  2. [2]
    Emir: Qatar to hold first legislative elections in 2013 Archived 2014-08-31 at the Wayback Machine Doha News, 1 November 2011
  3. [3]
    Advisory Council’s term extended until 2016 amid government transition Doha News, 2 July 2013
  4. [4]
    Legislative elections in Qatar postponed until at least 2019 Archived 2017-08-22 at the Wayback Machine Doha News, 17 June 2016
  5. [5]
    "Qatar intends to hold its first elections for the Shura Council in 2021". Swissinfo (in Arabic). 3 November 2020. Archived from the original on 20 May 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  6. [6]
    "Qatar emir hands power to son, no word on prime minister". Reuters. 2013-06-25.
  7. [7]
    Postponing democracy: Qatar’s modernization attempts fail without inclusive political institutions Archived 2015-04-20 at the Wayback Machine An-Nahar, 18 December 2014
  8. [8]
    Qatar takes step toward first Shura Council election: QNA agency Reuters, 31 October 2019
  9. [9]
    "Qatar elections to be held in 2013 - Emir". BBC News. 2011-11-01. Archived from the original on 2012-01-06. Retrieved 2012-01-07.
  10. [10]
    Agarwal, Hina (2011-11-09). "Qatar to hold elections in 2013". Arabian Gazette. Archived from the original on 2012-05-22. Retrieved 2012-01-07.
  11. [11]
    "Qatari Al-Murra tribe protests against the election law". The Levant News. 10 August 2021. Archived from the original on 20 November 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  12. [12]
    "Qatar approves electoral law for first legislative polls". Reuters. 29 July 2021.
  13. [13]
    Qatari voters weigh in on first legislative elections Al Jazeera, 2 October 2021
  14. [14]
    Qatar Freedom House
  15. [15]
    Qatar’s first legislative elections see 63.5% voter turnout as women fail to break through Doha News, 3 October 2021
  16. [16]
    Mills, Andrew; Barrington, Lisa (2021-10-02). "Qatar's first legislative elections see 63.5% voter turnout". Reuters. Retrieved 2021-10-02.
  17. [17]
    Mills, Andrew; Barrington, Lisa (2021-10-03). "Qatar's first legislative elections see 63.5% voter turnout". Reuters. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
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