Kuwait court rejects appeal against nullifying 2022 elections

Latest ruling means new elections will be held as scheduled on June 6

MPs attend a parliamentary session at the National Assembly in Kuwait City. AFP

Kuwait’s constitutional court on Wednesday rejected an appeal against its previous ruling that nullified the September elections.

“The court decided to reject the appeal,” the head of the court Fouad Al Zuwaid said.

Former MPs belonging to the National Assembly had filed against the ruling that led to parliament being dissolved last year and those elected in 2020 being restored. They argued that the constitutional court had exceeded its powers by declaring that parliament void.

The decision on Wednesday means the elections set for June 6 will be held as scheduled.

Kuwait set the date for its legislative election days after the Gulf state's parliament was dissolved by a royal decree.

The latest political development will mean Kuwaitis are heading to the polls for the third time in three years after this month's decree by Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal Al Sabah to dissolve the National Assembly.

The parliament, first elected in 2020, was dissolved last year in an attempt to end political feuding between the government and the elected parliament. A vote was held in September in which the opposition made gains. The results were regarded as the most inclusive in a decade.

Seventeen people have withdrawn their candidacy, bringing the total number of politicians vying for the elections to 237.