February 24th, 2009 by Mehdi

Kuwait is often recognized as a country of great democratic progress. The parliament is widely hailed as the strongest in the Arab world. Recently however, there have been numerous confrontations between the Emir’s government and the National Assembly. Abdullah Shayji writes in the Daily Star, “Kuwait can claim some real achievements in political life. From the early 1960s, when the emirate adopted its first written constitution and its National Assembly was elected by direct secret ballot, the Kuwaiti system has stood out from those of its Arab peers.” He goes on to say however that, “There is not much optimism in Kuwait that the upcoming elections will end this stalemate between the executive and legislative branches. Parliamentarians and hopefuls are preparing their campaigns in a somewhat grim atmosphere, and some political figures are declining government positions in order to avoid entering the battle. There is even fear that the Emir might again suspend parliamentary life, which would be a severe blow to the system.” The upcoming elections in Kuwait will most certainly be closely watched.

Posted in Elections, Kuwait |