[Jimbo]

A Glance at Democracy in Arab World

The Associated Press

State of democracy in Arab world:

___

ALGERIA: Multiparty state with elected parliament and president.
National Liberation Front, dominant party since independence from France
40 years ago, won 2002 parliamentary elections marred by violence. In
1991, fearing fundamentalist Islamic Salvation Front would be elected,
army aborted final round of election and sparked bloody insurgency.

___

BAHRAIN: Declared constitutional monarchy in 2002 as part of reforms
that paved way for first legislative elections in 30 years. Women voted
and ran in October election, which secularists narrowly won. Final
authority on all matters still resides with king, Sheik Hamad bin Isa Al
Khalifa.

___

EGYPT: President Hosni Mubarak took over from assassinated President
Anwar Sadat in 1981. His security apparatus and National Democratic
Party have almost absolute control over elected parliament. Mubarak
stands every five years as only presidential candidate in yes-no
referendums that always produce yes vote of more than 90 percent.
Speculation persists Mubarak is grooming his son to replace him.

___

IRAQ: U.S.-led coalition to run country through June 30, when new
Iraqi-run government replaces Saddam Hussein's 35-year dictatorship.
Washington promises Iraq will be democracy, but history of repression
and deep divisions in society will make that difficult.

___

JORDAN: King Abdullah II, who succeeded late father, King Hussein, has
virtually absolute power but has pledged to transform kingdom into the
``model of a democratic Arab Islamic state'' that can serve as an
example to other Middle East nations. He has abolished the Information
Ministry that enforced censorship and put more women into government,
but broader public freedoms are lacking. Political elite, conservative
tribal leaders, would-be reformers and Islamic fundamentalists argue
over direction of reform.

___

KUWAIT: Politics controlled by emir, Sheik Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah, and
family. Kuwait pioneer among Arabs in electing parliament, in 1963, but
emir regularly dismisses national assemblies. Women barred from voting
or running for office.

___

LEBANON: Elections regular and lively, but not open because of
power-sharing agreement meant to prevent resurgence of 1975-90 sectarian
civil war. Legislative seats apportioned equally to Christians and
Muslims; prime minister must be Sunni Muslim, president Christian.
Syria, dictatorship, wields great influence over Lebanese politics.

___

LIBYA: Moammar Gadhafi in absolute power since 1969 military coup.

___

MOROCCO: King Mohammed VI appoints prime minister and members of
government following legislative elections; can fire any minister,
dissolve parliament, call for new elections, or rule by decree.
Incumbent socialist party won September 2002 parliamentary elections
praised as clean and fair. Conservative Islamic parties did well.

___

OMAN: Sultan Qaboos became ruler by overthrowing father in 1970. Family
has ruled for about 250 years. In October, 2003, the country held its
first elections open to all citizens for an advisory council. No
political parties or elected legislature.

___

PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY: Yasser Arafat, under growing pressure to share
power, appointed a prime minister in 2003 but Mahmoud Abbas' government
collapsed in a dispute with Arafat over security control. The same
disagreement nearly sank Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia's government,
appointed in September, until Qureia gave in. Arafat essentially retains
indirect control in many areas, including security.

___

QATAR: Promising parliamentary elections after holding first municipal
elections in 1999, with women fully participating. Famous as home of
al-Jazeera satellite TV station, lambasted by Arab and Western
governments for shows critical of governments. Qataris overwhelmingly
voted in April 2003 for a new constitution that guarantees freedom of
expression, religion, assembly and association. It also provides for a
45-member parliament, two-thirds of which will be elected and the rest
appointed by the emir.

___

SAUDI ARABIA: Crown Prince Abdullah rules on behalf of ailing King Fahd;
no elected legislature. In sign royal family feeling pressure to reform,
the Cabinet announced in October that Saudis will be able to vote in
municipal elections. Government also recently set up a national human
rights commission and let international rights monitors visit for first
time.

___

SYRIA: President Bashar Assad wields near-absolute power, disappointing
those who expected the young, Western-educated doctor to open up
politics. Succeeded father, longtime dictator Hafez Assad, who died in
2000.

___

SUDAN: President Omar el-Bashir in power since 1989 coup. Recently moved
to lessen influence of fundamentalist Islamic leaders, but democratic
reform not on agenda.

___

TUNISIA: Republic dominated by single party, Constitutional Democratic
Assembly, since independence from France in 1956. Opposition parties
allowed since 1981.

___

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Federation of states, each controlled by own emir
and family.

___

YEMEN: President Ali Abdullah Saleh presides over largely feudal
society. Despite constitution, elected parliament and lively press,
power rests with military and tribes.

AP-NY-03-28-04 1107EST

Copyright 2004, The Associated Press. The information contained in the
AP Online news report may not be published, broadcast or redistributed
without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.