Newspapers: Shura Council Elections to be Qualitative Leap in Qatar's March

Doha, August 23 (QNA) - Qatari newspapers highlighted Monday HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani's issuance of Decree No. 40 of 2021, setting the date for the election of members of the Shura Council. In their editorials, the newspapers said that with the decree setting Safar 25, 1443 AH, corresponding to October 2, 2021, as the date for electing members of the Shura Council, the electoral procedures have entered the stage of practical application based on the laws and provisions of the constitution, to achieve the directives of HH the Amir in forming an elected Shura Council, laying the foundations for participation in decision-making, strengthening the state of institutions, law and transparency, strengthening state institutions and fighting corruption. Al-Raya daily said that Qatar now is living a historic moment with the issuance of the Decree which stipulates that citizens whose names are registered in the voters' lists in all electoral districts shall be called to cast their votes in electing members of the Shura Council on the specified date. In this regard, the newspaper highlighted the statement made by HE Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani in which HE called on citizens to participate positively in the first elections to be held in the history of the State of Qatar to form the elected Shura Council, and wished the candidates success and a fair and civilized competition worthy of this national occasion, and of the Qatari people, their tolerant values and their noble morals. The paper continued to say that His Excellency also emphasised that these elections, the first in the history of the State of Qatar, are taking place under the national unity which its foundations were laid by HH the Amir and which we must all preserve. The newspaper pointed out that the Shura Council elections will expand the participation of citizens in the decision-making process and in the development of legislative process, especially that the upcoming council will include members chosen by the people. In conclusion, Al-Raya stressed that the Shura elections constitute a milestone in Qatar's march and in the achievement of its national vision, noting the remarkable turnout witnessed by the headquarters of receiving applications for candidacy at Qatar University yesterday. In turn, Al-Sharq daily newspaper said in its Monday's editorial that the electoral process has entered a critical phase after the decision issued by HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani yesterday, setting the date for the election of members of the Shura Council under Decree No. 40 of 202, which stipulated that Saturday, Safar 25, 1443 AH, corresponding to October 2, 2021, to be set as the date for electing members of the Shura Council, and that citizens whose names are registered in the voters' lists in all electoral districts shall be called to cast their votes in electing members of the Shura Council on the specified date. With this decree, the electoral procedures entered the stage of practical application supported by the laws and provisions of the constitution, to achieve the directives of HH the Amir in forming an elected Shura Council, laying the foundations for participation in decision-making, strengthening the state of institutions, law and transparency, and fighting corruption, the paper said, adding that all of these directives in which the State has made remarkable achievements, are recognised by international organizations and classification institutions. The Shura Council elections come to promote these important values to new heights in building effective institutions that achieve the goals of comprehensive community development, the paper noted. The daily also noted the great harmony between all state institutions and society in supporting the electoral process, pointing that immediately after the issuance of the Amiri decision on setting the date and procedures for the Shura Council elections, HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani called on citizens to participate positively in the first elections to be held in the history of the State of Qatar to form the elected Shura Council. In conclusion, Al-Sharq newspaper stressed that these elections, come to take place under the national unity established by HH the Amir, which everyone must preserve. In its editorial Monday, Al-Watan said that HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani issued Sunday a Decree No. 40 of 2021 setting the date for electing members of the Shura Council. The decree, the paper said, stipulated that Safar 25, 1443 AH, corresponding to October 2, 2021, be set as the date for electing members of the Shura Council, and that citizens whose names are registered in the voters' lists in all electoral districts shall be called to cast their votes in electing members of the Shura Council on the specified date. The newspaper hailed the statement made by HE Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani in which HE called on citizens to participate positively in the first elections to be held in the history of the State of Qatar to form the elected Shura Council, and wished the candidates success and a fair and civilized competition worthy of this national occasion, and of the Qatari people, their tolerant values and their noble morals. The paper said that these elections are taking place under the national unity which its foundations were laid by HH the Amir and which we must all preserve, noting that HE the Prime Minister stressed that there is a complete conviction that Qataris are equal in rights and duties, and that this principle is achieved by observing the provisions of the Constitution, national traditions and stable customs, and through the established legal and constitutional tools and procedures. Al-Watan concluded that there is a hope that these elections will reflect the national unity and the keenness to devote all means to the success of this experience and achieve its desired goal. (QNA)