The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, has directed the review of proposed constitutional amendments, including the reintroduction of a system for appointing members of the Advisory Council. During the opening of the fourth regular session of the first legislative term, Sheikh Tamim stated, “in line with my responsibility and duty towards my nation and my people, I have instructed that the proposed amendments be submitted to your esteemed council for necessary action.” He emphasized that the anticipated amendments would be put to a public vote and would entail a shift back to appointment rather than election. He remarked that “our system is an emirate based on justice and consultation, safeguarding rights and freedoms under the rule of law, and the Advisory Council is not a representative parliament in a democratic system.”
Sheikh Tamim further expressed, “I must candidly tell you that I called for elections to the Advisory Council despite the reservations of many loyal citizens. I said at the time that it was an experiment, and we would review, evaluate, and derive conclusions from it, leading us to propose the constitutional amendments.” The Advisory Council, as the legislative body, discusses matters referred to it by the Council of Ministers, including draft laws, state policies, and the public budget, while it lacks authority over defense, security, economic, and investment policies. This announcement follows a singular experience in 2021 when Qataris elected two-thirds of the Advisory Council’s members, a process hailed as a “historic” event with a voter turnout exceeding 63%.
According to Qatar’s permanent constitution, enacted in 2005, two-thirds of the Advisory Council’s members are to be elected through direct secret ballot, with the Emir appointing the remaining third. However, this provision has not been implemented, as the Emir traditionally appointed all members. After 16 years, Qatar held its first legislative elections, which were seen as a significant step towards enhancing public participation in the political process. While this initiative received international praise as an important beginning for democratization and human rights support in the Gulf region, it also sparked internal debate and division regarding certain electoral law provisions.
The electoral law stipulated that the right to run for office and vote is limited to “original” Qataris, allowing only naturalized Qataris born in the country to vote, provided their ancestors held Qatari nationality. This condition triggered protests from some members of the Al Murrah tribe—one of the largest tribes in the Gulf—who demonstrated against their exclusion from their natural right to run for or even vote in elections.
Qataris constitute about 11% of the total population of around 3 million. According to the 2023 Numbeo index, Qatar ranks first in the Arab world and sixth globally for average monthly salary, which stands at $4,105. The state provides its citizens with various benefits, including free water and electricity subscriptions, educational vouchers for private schools, and free education and healthcare in government facilities.
This situation indicates that Qatar is on a path to abolishing any form of democracy based on voting and plurality, potentially eliminating any kind of electoral process while maintaining its current system.
