Bin Jassim reveals the reasons for the resignation of the "father prince" in 2013
Former Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani revealed the full behind-the-scenes behind the decision of the father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani to hand over the reins of government to his son, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in 2013, stressing that the move came as a result of a firm conviction in Tamim's competence and a feeling of exhaustion after many years of intensive political work.
The remarks came in an exclusive interview with Qatar State TV following the death of the father prince in July 2026, highlighting one of the most important transitions in the history of the modern state.
Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said that in the last years of his rule, the father prince has noticed Sheikh Tamim's exceptional ability to manage and resolve complex files, which made him feel fully confident about the future of the country.
"Time of Tamim"
He explained that the decision to step down was not surprising, but rather a preconceived vision that the father prince had taken years ago, and he personally informed him of it more than two years before its implementation, saying: "Tamim's time."
Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim denied that illness was behind the decision of the father prince, stressing that he was in good health, but felt the natural stress caused by the constant pressure of the government.
He added that the father prince preferred to withdraw at the height of his giving, after seeing the maturity of the young leadership team surrounding Sheikh Tamim and his ability to continue the march of development and renaissance.
He pointed out that the Father Prince, immediately after handing over power on June 25 , 2013, completely distanced himself from the political scene and did not interfere in decision-making centers, content with following the achievements of the state from afar, and expressing his pride in the way Sheikh Tamim has managed regional and international challenges over the past years.
Bin Jassim mourns his "prince, friend and companion"
Hamad bin Jassim's remarks came days after the Qatari Amiri Diwan announced the death of the Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani on Sunday, at the age of 74.
In a statement published on his account on the "X" platform, Hamad bin Jassim mourned the father prince, describing him as "his emir, friend and companion", praising what he has done to the State of Qatar and the Arab and Islamic nations, and stressing that Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa "will continue to be the builder and founder of modern Qatar", because of the legacy he left in the development process and the consolidation of the country's position.
On June 25, 2013, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani announced the handover of the reins of power to then-Crown Prince Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in a move that was the first of its kind in the Gulf region in terms of a voluntary transfer of power during the ruler's time in power.
Other Accounts of the Stepping Down of the "Father Prince"
International media and news agencies, along with Western and regional political analysis, have circulated a range of alternative reasons that were said to be behind the decision of the father emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, to step down in 2013, narratives that went beyond the official narrative of "pumping young blood" and empowering the new generation.
These readings focused on three main tracks, without any official confirmation, but they constituted a wide range of political and media discussion at the time, and the first track was related to the health status of the father prince, as Western reports focused on the ill health that was an influential factor in the decision to step down.
These reports spoke of chronic kidney problems, and that Sheikh Hamad was living with one kidney transplanted, along with a noticeable weight loss and a change in his appearance during the last years before the transfer of power, and despite Doha's denial of these narratives, they remained strongly present in media coverage that linked health fatigue to the desire to hand over leadership to his son, Sheikh Tamim.
The Syrian file and the stepping down of the father prince
Western and regional analyses linked the step of stepping down to the transformations that the region witnessed after the Arab Spring, especially in the Syrian file, where analysts believed that Qatar's support for the armed opposition factions reached an impasse, and that Doha needed a change in political faces to open a new page with regional powers.
Other readings also suggested that stepping down was a proactive step to absorb tensions with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, in light of sharp disagreements over foreign policies and sensitive files such as the "leaked tapes," and that the introduction of a new leadership headed by Sheikh Tamim was a message of calm directed at the Gulf neighbors.
Some newspapers described the stepping down as coming in the context of what they called "proactive political engineering" within the ruling family, where the father prince preferred to transfer power at the height of his power to ensure a smooth transition and prevent any possible internal rivalry in the event of a sudden health emergency.
The voluntary stepping down gave Sheikh Tamim full and undiminished legitimacy, supported by his father's presence as a highly respected authority both internally and externally, which was considered a calculated step to ensure the stability of the government for decades to come.