Qatar will hold a nationwide referendum on proposed constitutional amendments, including the removal of elections for two-thirds of the Consultative Council (parliament) and the formalization of Doha’s role as an international mediator. Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani issued the decree to initiate the referendum.
The primary motivation for the referendum is the Emir's proposal to discontinue elections for the Consultative Council, Qatar’s legislative advisory body, which reviews draft laws, budget proposals, and governmental policies. Although the council participates in the legislative process, it lacks authority over defense, security, and economic matters, with the final say resting with the Emir. The 2004 constitution currently stipulates that the council consists of 45 members, with 30 elected by popular vote and 15 appointed by the Emir for four-year terms.
On October 15, Sheikh Tamim confirmed that the cabinet had finalized the draft amendments, including a return to a fully appointed council. He emphasized that the council is not a “representative parliament in a democratic system,” and reassured that its status and powers would remain unchanged.
Challenges in Democratic Elections
Qatar’s first elections for the Consultative Council, initially scheduled for 2013, only took place in October 2021. However, controversy surrounded a clause in the electoral law, which restricted voting rights to Qatari nationals whose families had resided in the country since 1930, excluding some, notably from Bedouin tribes. Sheikh Tamim acknowledged that competition for council seats “occurred within families and tribes,” stirring differing views on its impact on Qatar’s values, traditions, and social cohesion, which the government prefers to preserve.
Proposed Constitutional Amendments
The government-prepared amendments, endorsed by the Consultative Council, propose changes to 14 and the removal of three constitutional articles, along with additional revisions. For instance, Article 77, which outlines council membership and election procedures, would specify that all members are appointed by the Emir. Article 80 would remove the clause requiring partial election of members. Whereas previously, elections were mandated within 90 days before the council’s term ended (Article 81), the new draft stipulates the Emir appoint members within six days before the current council’s term expires.
Shura-Based Democracy
Article 1 of the constitution defines Qatar as a sovereign Arab state governed by Islamic law. While Qatar is termed a democratic emirate, the amendments propose to clarify this with a description of a “democracy based on shura (consultation), justice, and rule of law.” The principle of shura—consultative decision-making within the Muslim community—underpins Qatar's approach to governance.
Mediation and Balanced Relations
Qatar has positioned itself as a mediator in various global conflicts, including facilitating discussions between the US and the Taliban (banned in Russia), Iran and the US, and peace talks in Lebanon, Sudan, and Chad. Qatar also serves as an intermediary in indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, with the group’s political bureau based in Doha, and as a link between Russia and Ukraine, helping reunite children displaced by conflict with their families.
To formalize this role, the amendments propose updating Article 7 to state that Qatar's foreign policy aims to “strengthen international peace and security by promoting peaceful resolutions to conflicts.” The new draft adds that Qatar’s policy supports regional and international mediation and dialogue, requiring “balanced relations with all parties.”
Voting Details
Polling stations will be open nationwide from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time, with results expected within 24 hours. All Qatari citizens over 18 are eligible to vote, either by paper ballot, at an electronic kiosk, or online through the Ministry of Interior’s app. The referendum will ask citizens whether they approve of all proposed constitutional amendments.
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Based on materials from TASS