Kuwait opposition makes strong gains in parliamentary elections

Kuwait’s opposition took nearly half of parliament’s seats in weekend polls amid calls for reforms over corruption and high debt, but the sole female lawmaker lost her seat.

Twenty-four of the National Assembly’s 50 seats were won by candidates belonging to or leaning towards the opposition, up from 16 in the last parliament, according to results announced Sunday.

But while 29 women ran for office in Saturday’s race, none were elected — a blow to the status of women who have fought hard over recent years for more representation in the oil-rich emirate, after winning the right to vote just 15 years ago.

Nevertheless, the election of 30 candidates under the age of 45 sent out a promising signal to youth hoping for change and reform.

The election, which takes place every four years, was overshadowed by Covid-19 and a consequent paring back of campaigns that in normal times draw thousands for lavish banquets and over-the-top events.

Five polling stations — one in each electoral district — were specially fitted out to allow citizens infected with coronavirus to cast their votes.

The polls were the first since the new emir, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, took office in September following the death of his half-brother, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, at the age of 91.

– ‘Big change’ –

Thirty-one new faces will enter the new parliament, results showed.

Like most Gulf countries, Kuwait’s economy and state budgets have been slammed by the double whammy of the pandemic and the depressed price of oil, with the International Monetary Fund expecting the economy to shrink by about eight percent this year.

Officials in the country, where foreigners make up 70 percent of the 4.8 million population, have already said they want to slash that proportion to 30 percent of the total population.