When it comes to international power and influence, Qatar leaves little to chance. The list of allegations ranges from bribery to supporting extremists.
More recently, World Cup host Qatar has been running almost like clockwork. Reports of Messi’s and Mbappé’s ball skills overshadowed criticism of the human rights situation, the conditions of foreign workers and the emirate’s sometimes aggressive foreign policy. But now the arrests in Brussels, nearly 5,000 kilometers away as the crow flies, have catapulted the Gulf state back into the negative headlines. A network around Eva Kaili, the Greek vice-president of the European Parliament, was allegedly bribed – according to reports from Qatar. This has yet to be confirmed. But the scandal, which may just be beginning, shines a spotlight on the small country that is advancing with great ambition on the world stage.
In any case, for years Qatar has relied on the two Gs, money and gas, to expand its influence and assert itself, squeezed between rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran. The third largest gas reserves lie dormant in Qatar.