(النسخة العربية)
Results of the Fifth Edition – 2024
In the results of the fifth edition (2024), the State of Kuwait ranked first with a score of 501 out of a total of 1,000 on the GCCPPI. The State of Qatar maintained its second place with a score of 480.
Oman remained in third place with 449 points. Bahrain came in fourth place with a score of 434, followed by the United Arab Emirates in fifth place with a score of 330, and Saudi Arabia in last place with a score of 255.
The advancements of UAE (10 points) and Qatar (8 points) are the most prominent compared to the previous year’s results, while Saudi Arabia advanced by 5 points, Oman by 4 points and Bahrain by one point. Kuwait was the only country to see a 33-point decline.
The results of the GCCPPI reveal that the Gulf states tend to converge in the patterns of running political systems and in the laws and executive mechanisms in the management of public affairs, which may indicate that there is an interchange of practises or an inter-influence due to the similarity of systems of government and the similarities of social structures.
While the State of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Bahrain have witnessed a decline over the past five years in freedoms and political action, we find that the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have made significant progress in the areas of women’s empowerment and youth engagement and in facilitating the environment for civil society institutions, specifically in the social and charitable fields.
While GCC governments seek to empower their citizens in the developmental, economic and social fields, there are no visible signs of allowing organised political action or easing restrictions on freedom of opinion and expression, as the formation of political parties, the availability of opposition tools and the safety of political practitioners continue to pose serious challenges in all GCC countries. With the exception of Bahrain, the rest of the Gulf states criminalize or do not legalize the formation of political parties.
Despite the increasing number of civil society organisations established in the GCC States, the powers and roles of these institutions appear to be limited or reducing, and the laws regulating the action of these institutions impose severe restrictions on the activities and sources of funding.
Levels of community participation in independent oversight of government agencies’ performance and spending remain limited.
The powers of oversight, accountability, and questioning in legislative or advisory authorities in Gulf states are often restricted or unavailable. GCC states lack clear national policies and strategies to expand frameworks for political participation, especially with regard to strengthening and expanding the powers of elected councils, improving election laws, and promoting equal citizenship.
The Sultanate of Oman is characterized by the existence of legislation and executive procedures that promote equal citizenship and proportional representation of various groups and minorities in society. On the other hand, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain adopt legislation and policies that appear to be discriminatory with regard to candidacy or voting in general elections for their citizens. These policies are determined by the laws of nationality, the exercise of political rights and the organisation of elections, all of which impose control and restriction on the electoral process.
The results of most of the index’s scales point to the emergence of issues related to equal citizenship in the GCC countries. Certain practices and laws hinder the active participation and proportional representation of some groups and minorities. Stateless people are among the most prominently marginalized groups in these countries.
There has been notable progress in improving stable residency and working environments for foreign communities through ongoing legal reforms and by allowing the formation of clubs and community institutions for these communities.
Except for Qatar, members of the ruling families in other Gulf states hold a significant share of high government positions, as well as senior roles in security, military, and judicial institutions. This concentration of power restricts access to these positions for the wider population.
The results for the GCC states over the past five years (2020-2024) reflect continuous positive developments in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. While the UAE shows signs of stagnation, Bahrain and Oman have experienced fluctuating results year by year. Despite maintaining overall strong performance among GCC states, Kuwait has seen an exceptional decline this year.
All GCC countries still have numerous opportunities to enhance citizen participation in decision-making and public policy formulation. It is evident that there is room to strengthen the work of legislative, municipal, and civil institutions, as well as to improve society’s role in monitoring and critiquing government performance.
State of Kuwait results summary
Kuwait’s results this year indicate a decline in performance by 33 points, due to the dissolution of the National Assembly and the suspension of a number of constitutional articles. The decline came on the scale of Constitutional Life (6 points), the scale of General Elections (23 points), the scale of Political Organisations (7 points), and the scale of Freedom of Opinion and Expression (two points).
Kuwait ranked first in the GCC Political Participation Index, scoring 501, surpassing the 500 mark (1,000).
Kuwait’s performance improved in the scale of Access to Leadership and Sensitive Positions (4 points) due to the shrinking number of members of the ruling family in the government, and advanced one place on the scale of Gender Equivalence and Youth Engagement.
Kuwait topped 3 scales (General Elections / Transparency / Freedom of Opinion and Expression) compared to other states. However, the state ranked bottom in the scale of Foreign Communities, and, along with Oman, in the scale of Gender Equivalence and Youth Engagement.
Significant challenges arise with regard to the governance of elected institutions and the role of the legislative authority (the National Assembly). It also includes empowering Kuwaiti women and their representation in the executive and legislative authorities, legislating the work of political parties, resolving the “Bidun” issue, addressing laws that prevent societal groups from accessing senior positions and participating in elections, as well as empowering young people and ensuring their representation in the executive authority, in addition to ensuring stable and effective residence for foreign workers and expatriates in the country.
State of Qatar results summary
Qatar continued to advance among the GCC states by advancing (8 points) of the total score of the index, and maintained second place with 480 points, expanding the difference between it and Oman to 31 points.
For the first time, Qatar topped the scale of Constitutional Life following Kuwait’s decline, as well as Access to Leadership and Sensitive Positions.
The country improved on the scale of Freedom of Opinion and Expression (5 points) by allowing popular demonstrations in the capital, Doha, an unprecedented scene, and last year saw the emergence of community media run by migrants in different languages.
Qatar advanced in the scale of Gender Equivalence and Youth Engagement (two points) and one score in the scale of Political Organisations. Qatar did not witness decline in any of the ten scales.Qatar still scores low on the scale of Political Organisations (6 out of 100) as it presents challenges related to the legitimacy of organised political action and the safety of practitioners. Similarly, in the scale of Civil Society Institutions (24 out of 100 points), the governing laws place restrictions on institutions that do not allow them to operate independently.
Sultanate of Oman results summary
The Sultanate of Oman advanced for the third consecutive year in the results of the index, and the Sultanate advanced in the General Elections scale (5 points) due to the stability of the periodic Shura Council and municipal elections, enhancing the manifestations of electoral integrity and facilitating the voting process.
Oman ranks third (449 out of 1,000) 15 points ahead of Bahrain.
The Sultanate topped the scale of Representation of Groups and Minorities (83 out of 100) for the fourth consecutive year, relying on Government policies that ensure equality among its citizens and proportionate representation of various components of society. Oman ranked second among the GCC states in the scales of Foreign Communities (56 out of 75) and Access to Leadership and Sensitive Positions (92 out of 150).
Despite its progress (4 points) out of the total score of the index this year, the country’s performance is still disappointing in the scale of Political Organisations (4 out of 100), as the formation or accession of political organisations is considered a crime in Omani law. In the scale of Gender Equivalence and Youth Engagement (46 out of 75 points) due to the absence of a clear policy to encourage and support women to run for elections, as well as the absence of a national policy or strategy aimed at engaging and empowering youth.
Kingdom of Bahrain results summary
Bahrain scored its only progress in the scale of Political Organisations (6 points) after pardoning 1,584 convicts, including those detained in connection with the political unrest that the country has witnessed since 2011.
Bahrain declined again in the scale of Freedom of Opinion and Expression (two points) on the back of an increase in summons and interrogations of researchers, writers and online activists. It also declined slightly in the scale of Transparency (two points) and the scale of Civil Society Institutions (one point).
Bahrain continued to rank fourth (434) of the total score of the index.
Although Bahrain fell in the scale of Civil Society Institutions, it continued to be considered the best performing country among the GCC states in this scale. It also maintained the top performance in the scale of Foreign Communities (62 out of 75) while ensuring stable and effective residence for foreign communities residing there.
Bahrain’s most significant challenge is ensuring proportionate representation of groups and minorities and promoting equal citizenship, with the country at the bottom of the scale of Representation of Groups and Minorities (19 out of 100). Bahrain also ranks at the bottom of the scale of Access to Leadership and Sensitive Positions (45 out of 150 points), and despite the low number of members of the ruling family in the cabinet, it still notes its numerical dominance over the supreme bodies and councils that have high steering and executive powers. Bahrain also ranks at the bottom of the scale of Freedom of Opinion and Expression (25 out of 150).
The United Arab Emirates results summary
The UAE has made the best progress among the GCC states by collecting (10 points), achieving a total score of 330 of the total score of the index and ranked fifth among the GCC states.
The UAE advanced in the scale of Civil Society Institutions (9 points) on the back of the issuance of a federal law regulating public benefit institutions, which sets a comprehensive framework for the work of NGOs, including sponsoring and financing them, allowing them to invest, and granting them the right to appeal government decisions. The UAE also maintained progress (two points) and the lead in the scale of Gender Equivalence and Youth Engagement (70 out of 75 points) due to the continuation of government policies and special scales to ensure a balanced representation of Emirati women and youth in various state agencies, and maintained relatively advanced results in the scale of Representation of Groups and Minorities (50 out of 100 points), where it ranked second on par with Qatar.
The UAE fell in the scale of Freedom of Opinion and Expression (one point) due to the re-trials of political activists previously sentenced and completed their sentences last year.
The UAE remained with a “zero” mark in the scale of Political Organisations and lagging results in the scale of General Elections. It also lagged behind the index states in the scale of Transparency (10 out of 50 points), as there are no independent societal watchdog bodies that specialise in transparency and scrutiny of the disbursement of public funds.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia results summary
The UAE has made the best progress among the GCC states by collecting (10 points), achieving a total score of 330 of the total score of the index and ranked fifth among the GCC states.
The UAE advanced in the scale of Civil Society Institutions (9 points) on the back of the issuance of a federal law regulating public benefit institutions, which sets a comprehensive framework for the work of NGOs, including sponsoring and financing them, allowing them to invest, and granting them the right to appeal government decisions. The UAE also maintained progress (two points) and the lead in the scale of Gender Equivalence and Youth Engagement (70 out of 75 points) due to the continuation of government policies and special scales to ensure a balanced representation of Emirati women and youth in various state agencies, and maintained relatively advanced results in the scale of Representation of Groups and Minorities (50 out of 100 points), where it ranked second on par with Qatar.
The UAE fell in the scale of Freedom of Opinion and Expression (one point) due to the re-trials of political activists previously sentenced and completed their sentences last year.
The UAE remained with a “zero” mark in the scale of Political Organisations and lagging results in the scale of General Elections. It also lagged behind the index states in the scale of Transparency (10 out of 50 points), as there are no independent societal watchdog bodies that specialise in transparency and scrutiny of the disbursement of public funds.
What is the the Political Participation Index?
The PPI is an annual overview and scientific monitoring of the degree of political, social and cultural participation in the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries: Kingdom of Bahrain, Sultanate of Oman, State of Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.
This index carries significance for being the first specialised research publication concerned with measuring the degree of “political participation” in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The uniqueness of the index is that it combines all conceptual contexts (academic, international agreements and covenants, knowledge and practical experiences), and the specifics, conditions of evolution and structure of governance systems in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
The index attempts to answer a major question pertaining to the extent and proportion of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries’ engagement of their citizens politically, and the consequent desire and ability of citizens themselves, individuals and groups, to participate in decision-making and influence the state’s policies, legislation, and in all aspects of political and
social life in their states.
This fifth edition provides an assessment of the transformation paths in the performance of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states towards enabling or restricting their citizens from the ability to participate in tangible politics, and explains the apparent causes of improvement or decline of these states in their constitutional articles, local laws, institutional structures, declared strategies and executive exercises, as well as the interaction of local communities with these changes during the past five years.
Acknowledgement
The Gulf House for Studies and Publishing would like to thank all researchers who contributed to this research, focused workshops, index research and design, and the review and auditing processes. We also thank the sponsor and supporter, National Endowment for Democracy (NED) – the United States.
