Kuwait’s parliament is to debate on Tuesday a proposed government bill overhauling the country’s election law.
It comes months after leaders promised political reform following the dissolution of the National Assembly and parliamentary elections.
The government’s draft proposal includes the formation of a High Elections Committee that would be supervised by the Justice Ministry instead of the Interior Ministry, as well as several changes to existing laws governing elections.
In a speech in April shortly after parliament was dissolved, Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal pledged on behalf of the Emir Sheikh Nawaf that the next round of elections would be followed by a “set of political and legal reforms that will transfer the state to a new stage of discipline and legal reference in order to prevent disagreement and prevent all kinds of abuse in the use of power by the legislative and executive authorities”.
MP Khaled Al Moanes, the head of the Interior and Defence Committee, confirmed that a meeting would take place with several MPs on Monday to discuss the bill ahead of the debate on Tuesday.
The bill, which has more than 65 articles, includes an amendment allowing political prisoners convicted of offending the Emir to run in future parliamentary elections. They are banned for life under the current law.
Earlier this year, Kuwait’s Emir pardoned dozens of jailed critics under a new amnesty in an effort to end the domestic political feuding that had marked the relationship between government and parliament.
Calls for an overhaul of Kuwait’s election law has been a focal point of discussions among MPs since the country voted for the third time in as many years due to gridlock that has seen the appointed government and elected parliament at loggerheads.
“The deadlocked status quo will continue without much-needed radical reforms,” Bader Alsaif, an assistant professor of history at Kuwait University, previously told The National. “The reforms need to get to the heart of the matter and tackle structural issues related to the country’s political system.
“Other urgent fixes should include repealing laws that restrict freedoms; seeking a general amnesty for the remaining politically motivated cases; and instituting a comprehensive electoral law reform.”
The proposed legislation is the government's top priority in a four-year plan submitted last week.
Analysts say there are hopes for consensus between government and parliament on the bill. It is a test potential further co-operation.
“The leadership needs to get its house in order,” Clemens Chay, a research fellow and expert on Kuwait at the National University of Singapore’s Middle East Institute, told The National.
“Genuine reform remains at the top of the agenda, and without commencing such a process, this can result in a massive bill paid by the coming generations.
“The political paralysis, which has troubled Kuwaitis of all societal echelons, is also an issue that needs to be resolved for the sake of stability.
“In other words, domestic political stability is a prerequisite for other developments, particularly economic reform, growth, and diversification.”
MPs are expected to fiercely debate the bill in the coming weeks, with several already confirming plans to introduce amendments.
Jenan Boushehri, the only woman elected to parliament in June, said she would push to amend Article 16 that stipulates “for a woman to exercise her right to vote and run for office, she is required to adhere to the rules and provisions adopted in the Islamic Sharia”.
“For the government to include this text in its draft is a questioning of the instinct, morals and upbringing of Kuwaiti women, which is unacceptable,” Ms Boushehri said.
