Hundreds of Kuwaitis protest against the new voting rules ahead of the parliamentary elections, near Kuwait City, yesterday.
KUWAIT: Kuwaiti security forces fired tear gas to disperse an unauthorised demonstration yesterday by thousands of opposition supporters against new voting rules for parliamentary elections on December 1.
Opec member and US ally Kuwait has so far avoided the mass pro-democracy unrest that has toppled rulers in four other Arab countries since last year, but tension has mounted this year in a long-running power struggle between parliament and the government which is dominated by the ruling Al Sabah family.
Next month’s elections will be the second in Kuwait this year after an opposition bloc of Islamists, liberals and tribal leaders won a majority in polls in February. That parliament was effectively dissolved by a court ruling in June that reinstated a more pro-government assembly, but the old legislature was unable to meet due to a boycott by lawmakers leading to another dissolution and a call by the Emir, H H Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, for snap elections to end the deadlock. REUTERS
