|
Democracy News
Qatar Announces Elections for 2013
November 14, 2011
By: Randi Zung | Printer Friendly
On November 1, BBC News reported that Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani of Qatar had been quoted by the state media as saying the country would hold its first ever legislative election in 2013. According to the country’s current constitution, the legislative body will be composed of a total of 45 representatives, 30 of which will be elected. The remaining 15 representatives will be appointed.
In a broadcast, Thani stated, “We know that all these steps are necessary to build the modern state of Qatar and the Qatari citizen who is capable of dealing with the challenges of the time and building the country.” Political parties are currently banned in the country, but Qatar has held municipal elections in the past.
Most recently, Qatar has gained international spotlight by announcing support for the Arab Spring uprisings in the region. A November 14 New York Times article identified Qatar as playing a “decisive” role in condemning Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad and assisting in trying to mediate the situation in Yemen.
|
