Democratic Governance >> POGAR Updates: 2008 (all countries)
Mauritania: Prime Minister - reappointment (3 - July - 2008)
On July 3, 2008, the Mauritanian President Sidi Mohamed Ould Sheikh Abdullah mandated the outgoing Prime Minister Yehya Ould Al-Waqef the formation of the third government in the country's history, after Ould Al-Waqef submitted the resignation of his government on the same day.
Algeria: New prime minister (24 - June - 2008)
Ahmad Ouyahia replaced Abdelaziz Belkhadem on June 24, 2008, as prime minister. Previously, on May 24, 2006, Belkhadem had replaced Prime Minister Ahmad Ouyahia.
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Qatar: Supreme Constitutional Court (18 - June - 2008)
On June 18, 2008 Sheikh Hamad ratified Law No. 18/2008 for establishing the Supreme Constitutional Court, to be effective in October 2008.
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Sudan: An agreement to end the conflict over the oil-rich Abyee district (8 - June - 2008)
President Omar Al-Bashir and Vice President Silvakeer Miradit signed an agreement on June 8, 2008 between the Central government and the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) that is designed to end to the conflict over the oil-rich Abyei district.
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Kuwait: The Emir of Kuwait warns parliament members that they must cooperate with the government (1 - June - 2008)
The Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah stressed as he opened the new parliament session on June 1st, 2008 that appointing the prime minister and the ministers is his exclusive right according to provisions of the constitution. He added that no one is allowed to overstep this right or to interfere in its implementation. Moreover, the Emir gave the parliament members a strict warning that they must cooperate with the government.
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Qatar: Draft law regulating the employment of domestic workers (1 - June - 2008)
The Qatari Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs completed a draft law in June 2008 that regulates the relationship between workers in private homes and the families that employ them.
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Egypt: Extension of the state of emergency for 2 years (26 - May - 2008)
The People's Assembly has approved on May 26, 2008 extending the state of emergency for another 2 years as of June 1, 2008 or until the anti-terrorism law is ratified, which ever comes first. The request for extension was submitted by the government upon a decision taken by President Husni Mubarak. A total of 305 deputies voted in favor of the decision while 103 deputies voted against it.
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Lebanon: Presidential Elections (25 - May - 2008)
The Lebanese parliament elected on May 25, 2008 the commander of the Lebanese army General Michel Sulaiman as Lebanon's new president for a 6-year term. General Sulaiman's election was approved by 118 parliament members out of 127 members who attended the election session.
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Lebanon: The Doha Declaration - Lebanon: End of Crisis (21 - May - 2008)
The 17 month-old Lebanese crisis came to an end on May 21, 2008. Lebanese leaders reached an agreement on all disputed issues. The agreement entitled "The Doha Declaration" had 5 main points:
First: The parties agreed that the parliament's speaker will invite the parliament within 24 hours to convene to elect the reconciliatory candidate, General Michel Sulaiman as Lebanon's president.
Second: A national unity government is to be formed of 30 ministers distributed as follows: the parliamentary majority's share is 16 ministers, the opposition's share is 11 ministers and the President's share is 3 ministers. All parties pledged not to resign from government or obstruct its work.
Third: The Qada, the smallest administrative district, will be the designated electoral district in accordance with the 1960 election law. The three electoral districts of Beirut were reshuffled in order to keep a kind of delicate balance among various sectarian and political groups.
Fourth: Implementing the Beirut Agreement, especially the two points concerning the commitment of all parties to refrain from using arms or violence to attain political gains, and to launch dialogue aiming at strengthening the authority of the state over all its territories, as well as restructuring its relations with all armed and political groups in a manner that guarantees the security of the state and citizens. The Lebanese people are committed to the national partnership contract that provides for co-existence in a democratic regime. The dialogue is to be resumed under the newly elected president; a national unity government is to be formed. The Arab League will participate in these negotiations.
Fifth: Lebanese political leaders reaffirm their commitment to immediately stop using foul language that includes accusation of national treason, and political or sectarian provocation.
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Qatar: New Election Law (19 - May - 2008)
The Qatari consultative (Shoura) council has unanimously approved on May 19, 2008 a draft law for electing members of the Shoura council. The approval followed the cabinet's approval of the draft law that was written by the Higher Committee for Legislation Affairs headed by the prime minister. The 55 article draft law was submitted to the Council of Ministers in June 2007. This is the first Qatari draft law for electing members of the Shoura council. The elections are expected to take place in 2009 whereby 30 members will be elected by direct secret ballot, while the Emir will appoint the remaining 15 members.
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Kuwait: Legislative Elections (17 - May - 2008)
The latest legislative elections in Kuwait took place on May 17, 2008. The number of eligible voters was 361,000, of whom 55% were women. For the first time Kuwaiti voters went to the polls to elect the 50 members of parliament according to the system of large electoral districts which include 5 districts instead the previous 25 electoral districts. The share of every district is 10 deputies and a voter has the right to elect 4 candidates in his/her district instead of the previous rule that allowed the election of 2 candidates. The number of candidates was 275, of whom 27 were women. Major electoral issues raised by a number of candidates included: improving education and health services, combating the rising cost of living and better distribution of oil revenues among Kuwaiti citizens. Participation rate was 69% of eligible voters, a rate lower than customary participation rates in previous legislative elections.
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Yemen: Elections of the governors of the provinces (17 - May - 2008)
Yemen conducted its first ever elections of the governors of its 21 provinces on May 17, 2008. The governors were elected by 7484 members of local councils. The local councils are at the provincial and district levels. Political parties of the opposition that belong to the "Joint Forum" boycotted these elections because they considered them a regression in democracy since the "General Popular Conference" party (the ruling party) controls local councils as of September 2006 local elections where it won 70% of local councils seats. Final results showed that the ruling party candidates won in 17 provinces, while independents who support the ruling party won in 3 provinces. Elections were not held in Al-Daleh province (in Southern Yemen) due to lack of quorum. Only 79 out of 196 members electoral body in Daleh were present and ready to vote.
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Mauritania: New Government (11 - May - 2008)
A new government was formed on May 11, 2008 after the resignation of the government headed by prime minister Al-Zain Ould Zaidan on May 7, 2008. The new government includes 30 ministers, 10 of whom are technocrats.
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Egypt: Two New Governorates (17 - April - 2008)
Two new governorates were established on April 17, 2008 by a presidential decree thereby raising the number of governorates to 28. The two new governorates are Hilwan and The 6th of October.
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Jordan: Revokes the licenses of 22 political parties (16 - April - 2008)
The Jordanian Ministry of Interior has revoked on April 16, 2008 the licenses of 22 political parties that were unable to correct their legal standing in accordance with the amendments of the political parties’ law which gave parties one year to do so. The amendments were approved by parliament in 2007 and the grace period ended on April 15, 2008. The amendments required all licensed political parties to submit to the Ministry of Interior membership lists that include the manes of 500 members equally distributed over 5 different provinces.
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Egypt: Local Elections (8 - April - 2008)
The latest local elections in Egypt took place on April 8, 2008 and final result showed that the National Party won more than 95% of all local councils seats.
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Kuwait: Dissolves the National Assembly (Parliament) (19 - March - 2008)
The Emir of Kuwait, sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah issued on March 19, 2008 a decree dissolving the National Assembly (Parliament). The Emir’s decision followed the resignation of all cabinet ministers on March 17, 2008. Cabinet resignation left the Emir with two alternatives according to the Kuwaiti constitution: to call for a new government or to dissolve the parliament and call for new elections within 60 days. The minister of cabinet affairs Faisal Al-Hajji said that a decree will be issued on March 26 inviting the electorate to elect a new parliament on May 17, 2008.
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Saudi Arabia: General Data Dissemination System (14 - March - 2008)
Saudi Arabia joined the International Monetary Fund's General Data Dissemination System on March 4, 2008.
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Algeria: Inspection Générale des Finances (28 - February - 2008)
The presidential ordinance of February 28, 2008, broadens the authority of the Inspection Générale des Finances, the government auditing office, to discipline public sector enterprises.
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Iraq: Draft Law of "Accountability and Justice" (12 - January - 2008)
The Iraqi parliament unanimously approved on January 12, 2008 the draft law of "Accountability and Justice". The new law replaces the Baath Uprooting" law and allows the return of Baathists to their jobs in government institutions and in the army
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Bahrain: Combats human trafficking (9 - January - 2008)
King Hamad bin Issa al-Khalifa has issued a law on 9 January 2008 to combat human trafficking. According to the law, persons convicted of human trafficking would face prison and a fine ranging from 2,000 Bahrain dinars to 10,000 dinars. The law also calls for the establishment of a committee to combat human trafficking.
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