The Government of the State of Qatar
The State of Qatar is headed by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani.
According to the permanent constitution, people are deemed to be the source of authority in Qatar. They shall exercise it in accordance with the provisions of the constitution. The system of government is based on the separation of powers. The Legislative Authority is vested in the Shura Council as prescribed in the constitution; the Executive Authority is vested in His Highness the Amir, assisted by the Council of Ministers; the Judicial Authority is vested in courts of law and judgements are issued in the name of His Highness the Amir.
The Constitution
“The permanent Constitution should always be based on our Gulf, Arab, and Islamic sense of belonging and founded on our genuine Arab traditions and principles of our holy religion of Islam, thereby achieving our strategic goals with due consideration of our own reality and experience of the past years, with all its positive and negative aspects. The Constitution should take into account the hopes and aspirations of our people and the objectives targeted in the present and future. We can no longer wait to start from where others have finished but should have our own vision to anticipate the future, especially since the features of the 21st century world are now in the offing.”
– His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, The Father Amir, the 1st Meeting of the Drafting Committee of the Permanent Constitution, 1999
July 13
1999
HH Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, then Amir of Qatar, issued Amiri Decision No. 1 of 1999 establishing a committee for the drafting of the permanent constitution.
July 2
2002
The Committee presented HH the Father Amir with the Draft Permanent Constitution of the State of Qatar.
April 29
2003
A referendum on the Draft Permanent Constitution was set, where 96.6% of the Qatari population voted in favour of the permanent constitution.
The Council of Ministers
The Council of Ministers is charged with the running of all internal and external affairs which fall within its competences as prescribed in the Constitution and the provisions of the law.
His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani
Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani was appointed Prime Minister in March 2023 after having been appointed Deputy Prime Minister in November 2017. His Excellency was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in January 2016.
From 2018 to 2023, he served as Chairman of Qatar Investment Authority (QIA). In 2013, he was appointed as the Assistant Foreign Minister for International Cooperation Affairs.
In 2012, His Excellency attained the rank of Undersecretary. In 2011, he became Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Development of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Aspire – Katara Investment Company.
In 2010, he served as the Secretary of the Personal Representative of His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, then Amir of Qatar, for follow-up affairs at the Amiri Diwan. In the same year, he became Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of Qatar Mining Company.
His Excellency was appointed Director of the Department of Public and Private Sectors Partnership at the Ministry of Business and Trade. In the same year, he launched “Enterprise Qatar” – an organisation that provides technical and financial support for small and medium-sized enterprises. His Excellency also served as the Director of Economic Affairs at the Supreme Council for Family Affairs from 2005 until 2009.
HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Business Administration from Qatar University.
The Advisory (Shura) Council
History
Qatar’s Advisory (Shura) Council was established in 1972.
In October 2021, Qatar held its first-ever Shura elections with a 63.5% turnout of registered voters, a historic moment for the country.
The current Advisory (Shura) Council comprises a total of 45 members, 30 of whom are directly elected in a secret general ballot, whilst the remaining 15 are appointed by His Highness the Amir.
Responsibilities
The most notable responsibilities of the Shura Council include, but are not limited to:
- Considering draft laws that are referred by the Cabinet.
- Discussing general government policy on political, economic, and administrative matters that are referred by the Cabinet.
- Discussing the State’s social and cultural affairs that are referred by the Cabinet, or that have been considered by the Council.
- Discussing and approving the draft budget for public projects.
- Overseeing the draft budget and the final accounts of the Council.
- Following up on the activities and the achievements of the government across all matters.
- Addressing questions to ministers; seeking answers and explanations from ministers on matters under the competence of the Council.
- Submitting recommendations and expressing opinion to the Government on the above-mentioned issues.
Mission
Members
- Abdul Rahman Yousuf Abdul Rahman Al Khulaifi
- Ahmed Hetmi Ahmed Al Hetmi
- Abdullah Ali Jumua Al Sulaiti
- Eisa Ahmed Eisa Nasr Al Nasr
- Hassan Abdullah Ghanem Al Ghanem Al Maadheed
- Khalid Ghanem Nasser Al Ali Al Maadheed
- Khalid Ahmed Nasser Ahmed Al Obaidan
- Nasser Salmeen Khalid Al Suwaidi
- Hamad Abdullah Abdul Rahman Ali Al Mulla
- Khalid Abbas Ali Kamal Al Emadi
- Nasser Muhsin Muhammed Bu Kasheesha
- Eisa Arar Eisa Ali Al Rumaihi
- Muhammed Yousef Abdul Rahman Al Mana
- Muhammed Muftah Abdul Rahman Al Muftah
- Yousuf Ali Yousuf Al Khatir
- Ali Muhsin Abdullah Rashid Futais
- Muhammed Buti Salem Khalifa Al Abdallah
- Ali Shabeeb Nasser Al Atiyya
- Nasser Metref Eisa Al Metref Al Humaidi
- Ahmed Hamad Ahmed Al Hassan Al Muhannadi
- Muhammed Eid Saad Al Hasan Al Kaabi
- Mubarak Muhammed Matar Al Matar Al Kuwari
- Yousuf Ahmed Ali Al Sada
- Muhammed Omer Ahmed Al Salem Al Mannai
- Nasser Hassan Dandoun Al Nufaihi Al Kubaisi
- Nasser Muhammed Nasser Al Jaffali Al Nuaimi
- Sultan Hassan Mubarak Al Dhabit Al Dosari
- Mubarak Saif Hamdan Mesaf Al Mansouri
- Ali Saeed Rashid Al Kumait Al Khayarin
- Salem Rashed Salem Rashed Al Muraikhi
- Yousef Ahmed Ali Omran Al Kuwari
- Saad Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Ibrahim Al Muhannadi
- Badi Ali Mohammed Al Badi
- Mohammed Fahad bin Mohammed Al Muslim
- Muhammad Mahdi Ajyan Al Ahbabi
- Sheikha Yousef Al Jufairi
- Ahmed Ibrahim Rashid Al Maliki
- Saud Jassim Mohammed Al Buainain
- Saad Ahmed Abdullah Al Misnad
- Muhammad Mansour Khalil Al Khalil Al Shahwani
- Hamda Hassan Abdulrahman Abudhaain Al Sulaiti
- Ahmed Sultan Muhammad Sabah Al Asiri
- Abdullah Jaber Muhammad Libdeh
- Abdullah Nasser Turki Al Subaie
- Umair Abdullah Khalid Aljabr Al Nuaimi
The Central Municipal Council
History
Qatar’s first Municipal Council was formed in the early 1950s. On 8 March 1999, free elections were held to choose the members of the Central Municipal Council (CMC) through direct representation.
The Council consists of 29 elected members representing 29 constituencies from more than 242 regions in the State of Qatar. The law has created the council's own independent personality, attaching its budget to the general budget of the State and giving its members complete freedom in their opinions. The Council operates according to the provisions of Law No. 12 of 1998 concerning the Regulations of the Central Municipal Council, and it expresses its opinions through making recommendations and issuing decisions. The Council is headed by a Chairman who is elected directly by the members in their first assembly meeting.
Responsibilities
The most notable responsibilities of the Central Municipal Council include, but are not limited to:
- Monitoring the implementation of laws, decrees and regulations related to urban and industrial planning, infrastructure and other public systems.
- Overseeing the economic, financial, and administrative management of municipal and agricultural affairs.