Kuwaitis are voting on Thursday to elect the first parliament of Emir Sheikh Mechaal al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah’s reign, in the third parliamentary elections in three years in this rich Gulf oil state mired in repeated political crises.
Some 835,000 voters were called upon to choose 50 deputies from 200 candidates, including 13 women, after the opposition-dominated National Assembly, elected eight months earlier, was dissolved in February.
Polling stations opened at noon local time (09:00 GMT) and will close at 21:00 GMT.
The results are expected to be announced on Friday, followed by the resignation of the government, which was formed in January.
These elections, the third since 2022, are of particular importance as “the next Parliament could help determine who will be the Crown Prince, i.e. the next Emir of Kuwait,” candidate Ibrahim Dashti told AFP.
Having come to power in December at the age of 83, following the death of his half-brother, the current Emir has eight months to designate a successor, but his choice must be validated by MPs.
If Parliament objects, which has never happened in the country’s history, the Emir will have to submit three candidates from whom to choose.
Unlike other monarchies in the region, Kuwait has an influential parliament, although the keys to power remain essentially in the hands of the ruling al-Sabah family.
The deputies, elected for four-year terms, enjoy considerable prerogatives. However, their constant quarrels with the executive have led to a succession of governments and the dissolution of the Assembly on twelve occasions since the adoption of the parliamentary system in 1962.
With AFP
