Kuwait held national elections on Thursday for the fourth time in as many years as the oil-rich country seeks to break out of its longstanding political gridlock.
The Persian Gulf country’s elected assembly has more power than most in the Arab world, but has long been at loggerheads with the government, which is appointed by the royal family.
These are the first elections since Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Jaber, 83, assumed power after the death of his half brother in December. The new emir dissolved parliament in February after a lawmaker reportedly insulted him.
Voters will chose among 200 candidates to fill 50 seats in the assembly. There are no political parties.
Domestic political disputes have been gripping Kuwait for years — including over changes to the welfare system — which prevented the sheikhdom from taking on debt. That has left it with little in its coffers to pay bloated public sector salaries, despite generating immense wealth from its oil reserves.
Parliament has been repeatedly dissolved after failing to move forward.
Last year, Kuwait’s Constitutional Court annulled a 2022 decree overturning another such annulment. The country’s late emir then annulled that parliament again and held an election for a new parliament last summer, which was annulled with the February decision.
Source: Ap News
