Today, Qatar approved several electoral laws for legislative elections, set for October 2021. As someone who watches the governments in the middle east, this is a great thing for the expansion of democracy. On the other hand, with 2/3rds of the Shura Council elected, there will be benefits and problems.
To start, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will continue to appoint 15 members of the 45-seat Shura Council which, according to one of the new laws, will have legislative authority and approve general state policies and the budget. It will also exercise control over the executive, except for bodies setting defence, security, economic and investment policy.
The electoral law approved on Thursday states that citizens aged 18 and over, and whose grandfather was born in Qatar, can vote in districts in which their tribe or family reside. Thirty electoral districts will each choose one representative. Candidates must be of Qatari origin and at least 30 years old. The law caps campaign spending at 2 million riyals ($550,000). Foreign funding is criminalized with a jail term of up to five years and a fine of up to 10 million riyals.
Although the ‘Foreign funding’ concepts are a fantastic start, I can’t find any information about the actions of Campaign Managers, Lobbyists, and PR Representatives, no matter where they are from.
I look forward to reading the complete text of the enacted laws, and watching the campaigns unfold.
To read the complete article click here
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-qatar-elections-idUSKBN2EZ1QY