Qataris vote in first ever Legislative Council elections

Qataris eligible to vote began casting their ballots on Saturday morning to elect two-thirds of the 45-member "Shura" (consultation) council, in the Arab country's first elections for this legislative body with limited powers.

According to the Qatari interior ministry, polling stations opened at 8am local time (5am GMT), and voting will last until 6pm local time (3pm GMT) to elect 30 of the 223 candidates approved by the committee.

The other 15 members of the Shura council will be appointed directly by the emir, Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.

Qatar has a population of about 2.7 million, 13 per cent of whom are Qatari and the rest immigrants.

However, the electoral commission has not announced the number of Qataris eligible to vote, although according to the electoral law, enacted just two months ago, only those with 'original' nationality could stand as candidates, while those who acquired Qatari nationality can vote as long as their grandfather was born in the country.

The Qatari media broadcast images of the vote from several constituencies showing queues of mostly male voters.

Among the 223 candidates are 26 women, most of them with little chance of winning a seat due to the conservative tribal nature of Qatari society.

Some of the candidates will have to compete with up to 10 men, several of whom are members of the same family or tribe vying for a seat in the same constituency.

During the election campaign, which ran from 15 to 30 September, the election commission allowed candidates to explain their programmes at selected venues chosen by the authorities, such as club rooms or hotels, as well as through official media and Twitter accounts.

They were also allowed to put up posters with their portraits on the streets of the country, all in national costume. The men in long white robes and the women in a long-sleeved black dress with a head veil that leaves the face free.

The Arab nation, which does not allow political parties, has had a consultative body since 1972 appointed entirely by the head of state until 29 July when the emir decreed the first elections for the Shura Council.

Council members will have legislative powers, supervise the government and approve the country's general budgets, but will not be allowed to intervene in advisory bodies to the emir such as the Supreme Councils of Defence, National Security or Economic Affairs.