Kuwait: justice invalidates the legislative elections of 2022, restores the previous Parliament

Kuwait's Constitutional Court invalidated the 2022 legislative elections on Sunday, ruling in favor of the restoration of the previous Parliament, in a country shaken for years by repeated political crises.

The opposition, which had boycotted the legislative elections of the last ten years deploring the interference of the executive in the legislative power, had won the majority of seats (28/50) in the National Assembly at the end of September.

"

," due to irregularities in the dissolution of the previous parliament, the official Kuna news agency reported.

Read alsoKuwait weighed down by its “democracy”

She also spoke out for the restoration of the Parliament elected in 2020, which had been dissolved last June on the decision of the Crown Prince, Sheikh Meshaal al-Ahmad al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the same source added.

According to lawyer Nawaf Al-Yassine, the decision to invalidate the last legislative elections follows several appeals contesting the regularity of the procedures linked to the ballot.

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," he told AFP.

Unlike the other Gulf States, Kuwait has a dynamic political life, with a Parliament – ​​elected for four years – endowed with broad legislative powers and where debates are often lively.

This oil-rich country has, however, been shaken for years by repeated political crises which have hampered its attempts at economic reform.

Political instability

Kuwait is ruled by the reigning Al-Sabah family, which keeps the keys to power even if the elected officials have important prerogatives, not hesitating to put on the grill ministers belonging to the royal family accused of bad management, even of corruption.

The current emir, Nawaf al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, aged 85, remains withdrawn from political life in favor of the crown prince.

Political parties are neither banned nor recognised, but many groups, including Islamists, act as de facto political formations.

The government resigned on January 23 just three months after its formation, the latest episode in the deep political crisis that is rocking the country.

The sixth government formed in three years, he was sworn in in October after the victory of the opposition in the legislative elections, with the hope of putting an end to the political turbulence which was curbing any attempt at reform.

The resignation came as parliamentarians planned to question two ministers over a debate over consumer loans and poor management of public finances in this wealthy state, one of the main exporters of crude oil. in the world.

The resigning government had promised to tackle important issues such as development projects, the fight against corruption and investments.

Kuwait's political instability has dampened investors' appetites and hampered reforms in this country, which is certainly rich but which is struggling to diversify its economy as its powerful Saudi, Qatari and Emirati neighbors are currently doing.