2016 Kuwaiti general election

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Politics of Kuwait
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Arab League Member State of the Arab League

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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[]

The 50 elected members of the National Assembly were elected from five 10-seat constituencies by single non-transferable vote.[4]

Results[]

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]

Constituency Candidate Votes Notes
First Constituency Adnan Zahid Abdulsamad 4,287 Elected
4,077 Elected
3,016 Elected
2,758 Elected
Abdullah Al-Roumi 2,731 Elected
Saleh Ashour 2,541 Elected
2,444 Elected
2,270 Elected
2,166 Elected
2,131 Elected
Second Constituency Marzouq Al-Ghanim 4,119 Elected
3,578 Elected
2,914 Elected
2,432 Elected
2,341 Elected
Mohammed Al-Mutair 2,172 Elected
1,942 Elected
Rakan Al-Nisf 1,888 Elected
1,772 Elected
Omar Al-Tabtabaee 1,755 Elected
Third Constituency Abdulwahab Al-Babtain 3,730 Elected
Sadoon Al-Otaibi 3,444 Elected
3,399 Elected
Abdulkarim Al-Kanderi 3,325 Elected
Safaa Abdurrahman Al-Hashim 3,273 Elected
2,533 Elected
Waleed Al-Tabtabaie 2,504 Elected
2,443 Elected
2,219 Elected
2,124 Elected
Fourth Constituency 5,601 Elected
4,621 Elected
Mohammed Hayef AlـMutairi 4,506 Elected
3,811 Elected
3,545 Elected
3,528 Elected
3,379 Elected
2,972 Elected
2,897 Elected
2,874 Elected
Fifth Constituency 5,072 Elected
5,038 Elected
4,660 Elected
4,299 Elected
4,114 Elected
3,998 Elected
3,821 Elected
3,769 Elected
3,296 Elected
2,851 Elected
Source: KUNA (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Aftermath[]

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 (8 votes).

References[]

  1. ^ Kuwait emir dissolves parliament over fuel price row BBC News, 16 October 2016
  2. ^ Stage set for snap elections after Assembly dissolved – Amir cites ‘security challenges’ in dissolution decree Kuwait Times, 16 October 2016
  3. ^ a b Kuwait poll: Opposition wins nearly half of parliament Al Jazeera, 27 November 2016
  4. ^ Electoral system Inter-Parliamentary Union
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ Sectarianism and authoritarianism in Kuwait Washington Times
  7. ^ Strong showing by opposition, outgoing Assembly punished Kuwait Times, 27 November 2016
  8. ^ After big election win, what’s next for Kuwait’s opposition? Courtney Freer, Journal of Middle Eastern Politics and Policy, 8 December 2016
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