Kuwait Parliament Speaker Ali Al Rashed (centre) smiles as he leaves the National Assembly in Kuwait City, yesterday. The constitutional court dissolved parliament and called for fresh elections under a voting system rejected by the opposition, a move that could bring more volatility to the Gulf Arab state hit by extraordinary street protests last year.
KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait’s top court yesterday scrapped last December’s parliamentary election, which was boycotted by the opposition, but approved the controversial electoral law that sparked the boycott.
The constitutional court, whose rulings are final, dissolved the loyalist-dominated parliament and ordered a fresh election, in the verdict read out by presiding judge Yousef Al Mutawah.
It was the second time in a year that the court had ordered a dissolution of parliament. Last June, it scrapped an opposition-dominated parliament, saying there had been flaws in the procedures that led to its election.
Kuwait’s Emir, H H Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, decreed the controversial amendment to the electoral law last October intensifying a bitter dispute that had engulfed the emirate since 2006, sparking street protests, some of which turned violent. The electoral law passed in 2006 allowed each eligible voter to choose a maximum of four candidates. The amendment reduced the number to just one.
The court ruled the amendment is “in line with the constitution” and that it was made to “serve national interests” and give minorities the chance to be represented in parliament.
It said it was scrapping the December election because a second decree issued by the Emir last October, which had set up a National Election Commission, was unconstitutional.
Islamist, nationalist and liberal opposition groups had rejected the electoral law amendment charging that it had enabled the government to manipulate election results and subsequent legislation.
Several opposition MPs spoke out strongly against the court’s decision to uphold the amendment. AFP
