Kuwait Schedules Snap Parliamentary Elections For April 4
Kuwait has set a date for its forthcoming snap parliamentary elections, scheduled for April 4, a time that coincides with the last 10 days of Holy Month of Ramadan. This decision was announced by the government spokesperson, Amer Al-Ajmi, following a Cabinet meeting. The announcement comes after His Highness the Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah dissolved the National Assembly on February 15, necessitating fresh elections within a two-month period as per Kuwaiti law.
The Cabinet has forwarded a draft Amiri decree to His Highness the Emir, marking the official process for the upcoming elections. According to Al-Ajmi, the decree will be issued on March 3, with candidate registration commencing on March 4. The registration period for those hoping to secure one of the 50 seats in the National Assembly will span 10 days, in line with the Kuwaiti elections law. The window for candidate withdrawal is set to close on March 28. Voting will take place from 12 noon to midnight, accommodating the Ramadan schedule.
The dissolved Assembly, which was opposition-dominated and elected on June 5, lasted less than nine months, marking it as the third assembly to be dissolved since August 2022. This pattern of dissolution reflects the political disputes that have led to the assembly being dissolved nine times and nullified by the Constitutional Court three times since 2006. To qualify as a candidate in the parliamentary elections, individuals must be Kuwaiti by birth, as naturalized citizens are not eligible, be at least 30 years of age, and have a clear criminal record unless rehabilitated.
Kuwait boasts approximately 800,000 eligible voters, excluding servicemen from the military and police force who are not permitted to vote.
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