For the first time, eligible citizens of Qatar were able to vote in national elections today. The voter turnout was 44 percent, according to the Election Commission. The result is not yet known.
The Gulf state did not yet have an elected parliament, so the elections were a first. Qataris were previously only allowed to vote in municipal elections.
At the same time, it is only a limited step towards democracy. Qataris are allowed to control parliament for only two-thirds (30 of the 45 seats). The fifteen remaining seats are designated by the head of state, Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.
Greater role for parliament
The electoral law was already amended in 2003 to allow elections, but they were postponed year after year. Previously, the emir elected all members of parliament, known as the Shura. Many Arab countries have a Shura, which means consultation. The Shura in Qatar previously advised mainly on policy, but is now given slightly more powers.
Members may introduce bills, approve the budget or dismiss ministers. They have no say in the field of defence, finance and security. Political parties remain banned in the Gulf state.
233 people, including 26 women, had applied. Men and women cast their votes in separate rooms.
Who can vote?
When the electoral law was introduced, it was criticized a lot. The law states that only residents who are eighteen years of age and older can vote and whose ancestors lived in Qatar before 1930.
In practice, this means that only a small part of the population is actually allowed to vote, since the vast majority of the 2.8 million inhabitants do not have Qatari nationality. These are mostly expats and foreign workers. The number of Qatari citizens is estimated to be between 300,000 and 400,000.
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