The Consultative Assembly (Arabic: مجلس الشورى القطري, romanized: Majlis as-Shura; also known as the Shura Council) is the legislative body of the State of Qatar, with 45 members. Following the 2021 Qatari general election, it has 30 elected and 15 appointed members.[1][2] The body can only question the prime minister, who is appointed by the Emir of Qatar, on his policies if two-thirds of the members agree, which is unlikely given that one-third of the members are appointed by the Emir.[3]
Consultative Assembly of Qatar مجلس الشورى القطري | |
|---|---|
| 51st Session | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Speaker | Hassan bin Abdulla Al-Ghanim since 27 October 2021 |
Deputy Speaker | Hamda bint Hassan Al-Sulaiti since 27 October 2021 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 45 |
 | |
| Committees | List
|
Length of term | 4 years |
| Elections | |
| N/A (appointed) | |
Last election | October 2, 2021 |
| Meeting place | |
| Doha State of Qatar | |
| Website | |
| https://www.shura.qa | |
Constitutional role
editThe Council was formed in April 1972 with 20 appointed members.[4] In May 1972, the first consultative assembly meeting was held, during which Sayed Aziz bin Khalid Al Ghanim was elected as the assembly's first chairman. Aside from the 20 members who took part in the meeting, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani and foreign dignitaries were also in attendance.[5]
Qatar's constitution, approved in April 2003 by popular referendum, has created a legislative body to be two thirds elected by universal suffrage, and one third appointed by the Emir. According to the constitution, the legislature will have three powers: to approve (but not prepare) the national budget; to monitor the performance of ministers through no-confidence votes; and to draft, discuss, and vote on proposed legislation, which becomes law only with the vote of a two-thirds majority and the Emir's endorsement.[citation needed]
The consultative assembly has the following functions:[6]
- Legislative authority
- Approves the general budget of the government
- Exercises control over the executive authority
- The assembly has the right to forward proposals on public matters to the government. If the government doesn't comply with the proposal it has to give its reasons and the assembly can comment on them
Societal role
editThe responsibilities of the CMC within the broader institutional framework have been a focal point of discussion among officials and members of the public. Research conducted by the Social and Economic Survey Research Institute (SESRI) in 2015 reveals a lack of awareness among respondents about the extent of the CMC's impact on local daily life. According to the survey, 21% of participants believed the CMC exerted no influence at all, assigning a score of zero, while 18% perceived a moderate influence, rating it as five, and approximately 10% rated it as having full influence, giving it a score of ten.[7]
This perceived limitation in the CMC’s authority was a recurring theme in a focus group discussion held at Qatar University. Participants cited the council's constrained powers as a primary reason for their hesitance to register and vote in elections. Such critiques have been echoed in media reports and by CMC members themselves. Sheikha bint Yousuf Al-Jufairi, who was re-elected in 2015 and chairs the CMC's Legal Committee, had previously emphasized the necessity of amending Law No. 12, which defines the CMC's functions, during her 2007 campaign. Similarly, Khalid Al Kuwari, a victorious candidate in 2003, highlighted the Council’s limited executive authority as contributing to low voter turnout. He also noted the lack of representation for the expatriate population, who are not considered in municipal discussions on public health, environmental concerns, and infrastructure needs despite being the majority in many urban areas. The expatriates, who share neighborhoods and facilities with Qatari citizens, remain excluded from consultation on these issues.[7]
Members
editThe current Chairman of the Consultative Assembly is Hassan bin Abdullah Al-Ghanim.[8]
Speaker
Deputy speaker
- Hamda bint Hassan Al-Sulaiti (appointed member)[9][6]
Rapporteurs[10]
- Hadi bin Saeed al-Khayarin
- Rashid bin Hamad al-Meadadi
Chairmen
edit| Name | Entered office | Left office | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abdul Aziz Bin Khalid Al-Ghanim | 1 May 1972 | 8 December 1990 | 18 years, 7 months and 7 days | [11] |
| Ali bin Khalifa Al Hitmi | 8 December 1990 | 27 March 1995 | 4 years, 3 months and 19 days | [11] |
| Mohamed Bin Mubarak Al-Khulaifi | 27 March 1995 | 14 November 2017 | 22 years, 7 months and 18 days | [11] |
| Ahmad bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud | 14 November 2017 | 27 October 2021 | 3 years, 11 months and 13 days | [12][13] |
| Hassan bin Abdulla Al-Ghanim | 27 October 2021 | Present | 3 years and 26 days | [14] |
History
editIn 2006 it was announced that legislative elections would take place in 2007; according to a 1 April statement by then-First Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, who later became Prime Minister of Qatar. That was postponed and an advisory committee was established to study the issue. The legislative council rescheduled the elections for June 2010.[15] The election did not take place in 2010.
In November 2011, the Emir announced that the election would take place in 2013,[1][2] but they were postponed prior to the retiring Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani transferring power to his son Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.[16] The Consultative Assembly's term was extended until 2016.[17]
In November 2017, Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani appointed four women to the 45-member council, marking the first time women have taken part in the council.[18]
However, the elections were then postponed until 2019, with the prior term extended once again.[19] In October 2019 the Emir 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.[20] In November 2020, the Emir pledged to hold the elections in October 2021.[21] The 2021 Qatari general election was held on 2 October 2021.
In October 2024, Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani announced plans for a referendum on whether to abolish direct elections to the council, saying that the election had produced conflict among families and tribes.[22] The referendum passed.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "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.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ "Qatari elections: A PR stunt or a step toward democracy? | DW | 24.08.2021". DW.COM. Archived from the original on 2021-08-24. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
- ^ https://www.shura.qa/Pages/About%20Council/History
- ^ The era of reform. New York: Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the United Nation. 1973. p. 7.
- ^ a b c "Shura Council". Government Communications Office. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
- ^ a b Zaccara, Luciano (19 June 2021). "Political Participation in Qatar: The Central Municipal Council Elections (1999–2019)". In Zweiri, Mahjoob; Al Qawasmi, Farah (eds.). Contemporary Qatar: Examining State and Society. Springer Nature. p. 52. ISBN 978-981-16-1390-6.
- ^ Admin. "Who Is Hassan Bin Abdullah Al-Ghanim, Who Became President Of The First Elected Parliament In Qatar? » Gulf News » Prime Time Zone". Retrieved 2022-11-22.
- ^ a b "The Shura Council, Current Speaker and Members". www.shura.qa. Retrieved 2022-11-22.
- ^ "Current Speaker and Members". The Shura Council. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
- ^ a b c "Previous Speakers And Members". Shura of Qatar. 12 January 2019.
- ^ "The Shura Council, HE MR. Ahmad Bin Abdulla Bin Zaid AL Mahmoud".
- ^ "IPU PARLINE database: QATAR (Majlis Al-Shura), Full text".
- ^ "Shura Council elects speaker, deputy speaker during first session". Doha News | Qatar. 2021-10-26. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
- ^ Legislative Polls by June 2010 Archived September 17, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Gulf-Times. Nair, Arvind. December 1, 2009.
- ^ "Qatar emir hands power to son, no word on prime minister". Reuters. 2013-06-25.
- ^ Postponing democracy: Qatar’s modernization attempts fail without inclusive political institutions Archived 2015-04-20 at the Wayback Machine An-Nahar, 18 December 2014
- ^ "Qatar appoints four women to Shura Council". Al Jazeera. 9 November 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
- ^ "Legislative elections in Qatar postponed until at least 2019". Doha News. Archived from the original on 2017-08-22. Retrieved 2016-10-16.
- ^ Qatar takes step toward first Shura Council election: QNA agency Reuters, 31 October 2019
- ^ "قطر تعتزم إجراء أول انتخابات لمجلس الشورى في 2021". SWI swissinfo.ch (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 2021-05-20. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
- ^ "Qatar's ruler says his nation will vote on abandoning legislative elections after just one poll". Associated Press. 16 October 2024. Retrieved 16 October 2024.