Qatari citizens have voted overwhelmingly in favor of constitutional amendments, with a turnout exceeding 80% in the referendum. The results showed that 90.6% of valid votes supported replacing the country’s Shura Council elections with appointed seats, marking a significant shift in Qatar’s political landscape. A total of 14 constitutional amendments were presented for consideration during the referendum.
Following the announcement of the results, Qatar’s Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, praised the referendum as a testament to the country’s “values of unity and justice.” He celebrated the Qatari people’s engagement in upholding the nation’s principles, sharing his gratitude on social media platform X. Additionally, Qatar’s Minister of Interior and Chairman of the General Referendum Committee, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, confirmed that 84% of eligible voters participated, with 9.2% voting against and 1.8% of votes declared invalid.
This referendum follows Qatar’s first-ever legislative elections in 2021, which had a lower turnout of 63.5%. The elections were marked by controversy over eligibility restrictions, which limited voting rights to Qataris whose families had been in the country since before the 1930s, stirring tensions among various tribes.
