Politics of Qatar

The political system of Qatar runs under an authoritarian semi-constitutional monarchy with the emir as head of state and chief executive, and the prime minister as the head of government. Under the Constitution of Qatar, the partially elected Consultative Assembly has limited scope for rejecting legislation or dismissing ministers. The second general election was held in 2021. Political parties are banned and all candidates must run as independents.

The current hereditary emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, runs the country in an autocratic manner, holds nearly all executive and legislative authority, and controls the judiciary. He appoints the prime minister and cabinet. According to Freedom House, political rights in Qatar are severely limited. According to the V-Dem Democracy indices in 2023, Qatar is the 6th least electoral democratic country in the world and second least electoral democratic country in the Middle East.