The Arab Gulf States: Steps Toward Political Participation

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An examination of the political participation of the six member states of the Gulf Co-operation Council: Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Saudi Arabia paying particular attention to the popular demands within these countries for individual representation and the subsequent consequences of the establishment of national councils in response. The results of these actions have been mixed; in Kuwait and Bahrain the elected national assemblies have been suspended although the consultative councils in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman have afforded some measure of success. It concludes that despite their limitations, the national councils have performed a number of functions including state legitimation, legislative review, government accountability and the legitimation of minority political participation.

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. . . as an analysis of the often halting steps so far taken toward political participation in the area it will remain a useful survey for some time to come. * Journal of Developing Areas *

Author Bio

J. E. PETERSON is Adjunct Fellow in Middle East Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.