By Agence France Presse (AFP)

Tuesday, March 01, 2011

DOHA: Qatar will hold soon consultative council elections, Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jaber al-Thani said Monday, as protests rattle several Arab states, two of them Gulf monarchies.
“Qatar is working on holding consultative council elections in the near future,” Sheikh Hamad told reporters as cyber activists have created a Facebook page calling for a March 16 revolt to overthrow the emir.

“Qatar has already accomplished many reforms during the rule of the emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, whether freedom of the press, the election of men and women in municipal councils or adoption of a constitution,” Sheikh Hamad said. “This is the best way to achieve popular participation” in the gas-rich emirate.
A Facebook page demanding the ouster of Qatar’s emir, accusing him of being an agent of Israel, had attracted 18,262 fans by Saturday. It is apparently the first call for change in Qatar.

The al-Thani dynasty has been dominant in Qatar since the mid-1800s, retaining absolute control over the state.
In June 2005, Qatar signed into effect a Constitution with the aim of introducing democratic reforms. The Constitution, which had been approved by referendum in 2003, clears the way for the separation of executive, legislative and judiciary branches while keeping real power in the hands of the emir and his family. The Constitution provides for legislative power to be vested in a Shura Council made up of 45 members, two thirds of whom would be elected and the rest appointed by the emir. The Shura Council is currently named by the emir. – AFP