File photo used for representation only.
Candidates for the Shura Council elections have intensified meeting with voters in the final hours as the campaign closes today. The polling is scheduled for October 2, Saturday.
According to the Supervisory Committee for the Shura Council elections, the campaign ends twenty-four hours before the polling. There are 229 candidates, including 26 women, vying for the 30 available seats, and H H the Amir will appoint another 15.
To explain and convince voters, the candidates increased their meetings with the voters directly by holding gatherings in hotels and other public places, in addition to meetings through various media outlets.
The elected Shura Council is expected to have many roles, including approving the budget and a legislative role represented in enacting laws and monitoring the government’s performance.
The candidates have focused more on young voters with many promises that serve their needs and aspirations in their electoral programmes.
Support to talented youth in creativity and innovation and providing monthly financial support to students are among the promises.
Female candidates also focused on promises to support Qatari women in all fields, enacting laws that protect them and reducing working hours for pregnant women.
There are also many issues which concern citizens in general, such as fighting corruption and activating the supervisory and legislative role of the Shura Council.
Others include the need to increase the salaries of retirees, work to raise the retirement age, take care of the safety of the environment, and support agriculture and industry. Qatari women are participating strongly in the Shura elections. Only two of them have withdrawn from the campaign. The Shura Council is an excellent opportunity for Qatari women to propose amendments and laws that protect women’s rights more and give them an increased partnership in decision-making.
The Supervisory Committee for the elections recently held a meeting for volunteers taking part in the elections to prepare for the polling day. The meeting reviewed the role and tasks of volunteers and the working mechanism to help voters and facilitate the voting process.
