Elections in Kuwait

Politics of Kuwait

Member State of the Arab League

* * *

Constitution

Monarchy

* Emir

Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
* Crown Prince

Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah
* House of Sabah

Government

* Prime Minister

Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah
* Cabinet

No-confidence votes

Judiciary

* Legal system of Kuwait

Administration

* Governorates

Areas

Foreign relations

* Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Minister: Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah

* * *

* Diplomatic missions of / in Kuwait

* * *

* Nationality law
* Passport
* Visa requirements
* Visa policy

Related topics

* Demographics
* History of Kuwait
* Human rights
* Kuwait Vision 2035
* Politics of Kuwait
* National Assembly
* Elections

Kuwait portal

* Other countries

* v
* t
* e

Elections in Kuwait are held for the National Assembly. Kuwait's constitution calls for elections to the unicameral National Assembly at a maximum interval of four years. Elections are held earlier if the Constitutional Court or Emir dissolve the parliament.

## Electoral districts

[edit]

Main article: Electoral districts of Kuwait

Kuwait was divided into five electoral districts for the National Assembly elections between 1963 and 1975. Each district elected ten deputies to the Assembly. Before the 1981 elections the government redistricted Kuwait, creating a system of 25 districts. Following the redistricting, fewer Shi'ite candidates won seats in the Assembly. This was a deliberate result of the redistricting, and it followed the 1979 Revolution in Iran. Each of the 25 districts elected two members to the National Assembly, for a total of 50 elected members (additional members sit as appointed members of the cabinet). The old system was reinstated sometime before December 2012.

## Political blocs

[edit]

While informal groups and voting blocs existed, most candidates ran as independents. Once elected, some deputies formed voting blocs in the National Assembly. While Kuwaiti law does not recognize political parties, political groups functioned as de facto political parties in elections, so there were blocs in the parliament. Major de facto political parties included: National Democratic Alliance, Popular Action Bloc, Hadas (Kuwaiti Muslim Brotherhood), National Islamic Alliance and Justice and Peace Alliance.

## Election history

[edit]

The earliest modern elections in Kuwait were held in 1921. Elections were held again in June and then in December 1938 for a majlis al-tashri'i, or Legislative Council. The ruling family dissolved the second Council in 1939. Following independence in 1961 elections were held in 1962 to elect 20 members to the constitutional convention.

In the elections on May 23, 2024, the polling stations in Kuwait saw a notable turnout of citizens.[1]

## Suffrage

[edit]

Kuwait has universal adult suffrage for Kuwaiti citizens who are 21 or older. The constitution bars members of the ruling family from running for election to the National Assembly, though the constitution does not explicitly prohibit these members of the ruling family from casting votes. When voting was first introduced in Kuwait in 1985, Kuwaiti women had the right to vote.[2] This right was later removed. In 2005, Kuwaiti women were re-granted the right to vote.[3]

Kuwait's citizenship law, in theory, gives citizenship to those who descend, in the male line, from residents of Kuwait in 1920.

## See also

[edit]

* Politics of Kuwait

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Omar, Faten (April 5, 2024). "High voter turnout highlights increasing awareness". kuwaittimes. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
2. ^ Apollo Rwomire (2001). African Women and Children: Crisis and Response. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 8.
3. ^ Hassan M. Fattah (May 17, 2005). "Kuwait Grants Political Rights to Its Women". The New York Times. Retrieved May 26, 2015.

## External links

[edit]

* Kuwait Politics Database Archived July 29, 2010, at the Wayback Machine

* v
* t
* e

Elections in Kuwait

Parliamentary elections|

* 1938 (Jun)
* 1938 (Dec)
* 1958
* 1961*
* 1963
* 1967
* 1971
* 1975
* 1981
* 1985
* 1990
* 1992
* 1996
* 1999
* 2003
* 2006
* 2008
* 2009
* 2012 (Feb)
* 2012 (Dec)
* 2013
* 2016
* 2020
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

Municipal elections|

* 1932
* ...
* 1964
* 1972
* 1976
* 1980
* 1984
* 1993
* 1995
* 1999
* 2005
* 2009
* 2013
* 2018
* 2022

* Constitutional Convention

* v
* t
* e

Elections in Asia

Sovereign states|

* Afghanistan
* Armenia
* Azerbaijan
* Bahrain
* Bangladesh
* Bhutan
* Brunei
* Cambodia
* China
* Cyprus
* Egypt
* Georgia
* India
* Indonesia
* Iran
* Iraq
* Israel
* Japan
* Jordan
* Kazakhstan
* North Korea
* South Korea
* Kuwait
* Kyrgyzstan
* Laos
* Lebanon
* Malaysia
* Maldives
* Mongolia
* Myanmar
* Nepal
* Oman
* Pakistan
* Philippines
* Qatar
* Russia
* Saudi Arabia
* Singapore
* Sri Lanka
* Syria
* Tajikistan
* Thailand
* Timor-Leste (East Timor)
* Turkey
* Turkmenistan
* United Arab Emirates
* Uzbekistan
* Vietnam
* Yemen

States with
limited recognition|

* Abkhazia
* Northern Cyprus
* Palestine
* South Ossetia
* Taiwan

Dependencies and
other territories|

* British Indian Ocean Territory
* Christmas Island
* Cocos (Keeling) Islands
* Hong Kong
* Macau

* Category
* Asia portal

* v
* t
* e

Kuwait articles

History|

* Battle of Chains
* Sheikhdom
* Kuwait-Najd War
* Gulf War
* Timeline of Kuwait City

Geography|

* Borders
* Geology
* Islands
* Rivers
* Wildlife

Politics|

* Administrative divisions
* Cabinet
* Constitution
* Crown Prince
* Emir
* Elections
* Foreign relations
* Government
* Prime Minister
* Human rights
* LGBT rights
* Women's rights
* Legislature
* Military
* Political parties
* Visa policy

Economy|

* Banks in Kuwait
* Central Bank
* Dinar (currency)
* Health
* Stock Exchange
* Telecommunications
* Transport

Culture|

* Museums
* Art
* Music
* Kuwait National Cultural District
* Cinema
* Kuwaiti television
* Cuisine
* Demographics
* Education
* Languages
* Public holidays
* Religion
* Sport

* Outline
* Index

* Category
* Portal

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template