Qatar wählt

Auch die Golf-Emirate zeigen, dass bei Ihnen ein Reformprozess eingesetzt hat. Die absolute Macht ist vorbei.

"Doha: Qataris go to the polls today to renew the Central Municipal Council, a 29-member chamber with limited advisory powers.
Some 28,153 eligible voters are expected to flock to polling stations between 8am and 5pm. The final results of the vote are expected late in the evening.
All Qatari citizens, men and women aged above 18, and naturalised Qataris, who acquired nationality more than 10 years ago, are taking part in the vote. The armed forces and the interior ministry's officials cannot cast a vote.
Some 125 candidates including three women are contesting in 29 constituencies across the country. However, two candidates, Ali Al Kuwari from the Bin Omran constituency and Saqr Al Muhannadi from Al Khor, have already been awarded two of the 29 council's seats, after others running in their constituencies withdrew from the contest.
The election is considered by observers a "democratic exercise" as the country gears up to host parliamentary elections by year-end. But constraints imposed over the Council's powers have created disillusionment among voters and the turn-out today might be deluding, an official warned.

Drop in interest
"Many people might decide not to vote this year, like in the previous election of 2003, when there was a remarkable drop in people's interest in the election. Some Qataris are disappointed by the fact that the Council's operations have not met their expectations. Others complain it does not have enough powers to bring changes," said an official at the election department of the ministry of interior, who asked not to be named.
The council is elected every four years. In the first election in 1999, voters' enthusiasm was reflected in a high turnout at polling stations, with 17,531 Qataris voting out of 21,990. However, in the second election in 2003 only 7,742 Qataris voted out of 24,179 eligible voters.
Today, in each constituency a committee formed by a judge, an official of the ministry of interior and a civil society's representative will monitor the voting procedures. Qataris will be asked to register their names and present a valid identity card to the committee. The vote will be manual with voters asked to put a cross over the name and picture of the favourite candidate."

gulfnews.com, 1.3.2007