GOLD Report I - UCLG

MIDDLE EAST / WESTERN ASIA222 United Cities and Local GovernmentsTable 2The lack of a democratic traditionCountry Date of the last local council elections Date of the first election of a municipal council Political partiesSaudi Arabia20051963 in Riyadh – but no elections between 1963 and 2005 (First electionon a national scale)NoBahrain20061921 in some towns – but no elections between 1921 and 2002 (Firstelection on a national scale)NoUnited ArabEmiratesNo electionsNo electionsNoIraq2004 (Dhi Qar province)2000 & 2001 (Kurdistan)*1999 (Rest of Iraq)1869 – but no elections between 1957 and 1999*YesIran Islamic Rep. 20061999YesJordan20031878 42 – but no elections between 1957 and 1989Yes (since 1992)Kuwait2006 (partial)1932NoLebanon20041878– but no elections between 1963** and 1998(2001 for the villages in the south)YesOmanNo electionsNo municipalitiesNoPalestine20051927No elections between 1934 (Gaza Strip) or 1976 (West Bank) and 2005YesQatar20031999NoSyria2003***1878 – but no free elections between 1972 and 2007***YesTurkey20041856 (for Istanbul); 1878 (for Ottoman Empire);1930 (for the Republic of Turkey)YesYemen20062001Yes42. This refers to municipalelections held in certainmunicipalities of theOttoman Empire in1878 in accordance withthe Law on Municipalitiesin the Provincesof 18 May 1877.* February 2000 for the areas dominated by the Kurdish Patriotic Union andMay 2001 for those areas under the control of the Kurdish Democratic Party.** First significant municipal elections carried out on a national scale.*** That is to say without a closed list.