2016 Kuwaiti general election
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50 of the 65 seats in the National Assembly | ||
| Turnout | 65.2% ( 13.3pp) | |
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| Constitution |
 Kuwait portal |
Early general elections were held in Kuwait on 26 November 2016. They follow the dissolution of the parliament elected in 2013 by Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in October 2016.[1] Under the constitution, elections must be held within two months.[2] Opposition candidates won 24 of the 50 seats in the National Assembly.[3] Voter turnout was around 70 percent.[3]
Electoral system
[edit]The 50 elected members of the National Assembly were elected from five 10-seat constituencies by single non-transferable vote.[4]
Results
[edit]Opposition Islamist candidates (Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi) won around half of the 24 seats won by the opposition, whilst the Shia minority was reduced to six seats from ten seats.[5][6] One woman was elected, with only around 20 of the 42 MPs seeking re-election retaining their seats.[7] Members of Kuwait's largest tribes together won just seven seats in the election, down from fifteen.[8]
Aftermath
[edit]Following the elections, a new Speaker of the National Assembly was elected on 11 December. Marzouq Al-Ghanim was elected with 48 votes, defeating Abdullah Al-Roumi (9 votes) and Shuaib Al-Muwaizri (8 votes).
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marzouq Al-Ghanim | Independent | 48 | 73.85 | |
| Abdullah Al-Roumi | Independent | 9 | 13.85 | |
| Shuaib Al-Muwaizri | Independent | 8 | 12.31 | |
| Total | 65 | 100.00 | ||
| Valid votes | 65 | 100.00 | ||
| Invalid/blank votes | 0 | 0.00 | ||
| Total votes | 65 | 100.00 | ||
| Registered voters/turnout | 65 | 100.00 | ||
References
[edit]- ^ Kuwait emir dissolves parliament over fuel price row BBC News, 16 October 2016
- ^ Stage set for snap elections after Assembly dissolved – Amir cites ‘security challenges’ in dissolution decree Kuwait Times, 16 October 2016
- ^ a b Kuwait poll: Opposition wins nearly half of parliament Al Jazeera, 27 November 2016
- ^ Electoral system Inter-Parliamentary Union
- ^ "The Danger to Kuwait is Authoritarianism".
The Shia currently hold 10 out of 50 seats in the National Assembly and have generally served as a bulwark against the opposition since 2008.
- ^ Sectarianism and authoritarianism in Kuwait Washington Times
- ^ Strong showing by opposition, outgoing Assembly punished Kuwait Times, 27 November 2016
- ^ After big election win, what’s next for Kuwait’s opposition? Courtney Freer, Journal of Middle Eastern Politics and Policy, 8 December 2016
| Parliamentary elections | |
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| Municipal elections | |
* Constitutional Convention | |
