Islamists and tribal politicians made big gains in Kuwait’s legislative elections, the second in two years, while women failed to get a foothold for the second consecutive time since the emirate’s electoral law was changed in 2005. Islamists, both Sunnis and Shiites, grabbed more than half of parliament’s 50 seats, according to official results released on Sunday, May 18. Sunni Islamists won 21 seats, four more than their number in the outgoing National Assembly, dissolved after a standoff between the cabinet and MPs. The Islamic Salafi Alliance and its allies won at least 10 seats, almost twice their strength in the previous chamber. The Constitutional Movement, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, won three seats while Islamists with no-party affiliations secured 8. About half of the Sunni Islamists came from tribal areas. Shiite Islamists won five seats, one more than they had in the dissolved parliament. The legislature, elected for a four-year term, has legislative and monitoring powers and can vote ministers out of office but cannot bring down the cabinet.
ISLAMISTS, TRIBES WIN KUWAITI POLLS
Islamists and tribal politicians made big gains in Kuwait’s legislative elections, the second in two years, while women failed to get a foothold for the second consecutive time since the emirate’s electoral law was changed in 2005. Islamists, both Sunnis and Shiites, grabbed more than half of parliament’s 50 seats, according to official results released…
