National Assembly urges swift action on electoral reform for fairness and equal opportunities: Kuwait

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Ahmed Al-Saadoun, the Speaker of the National Assembly, emphasized the imperative of implementing an electoral law that ensures fairness, parity, and equal opportunities. This assertion was made during Speaker Al-Saadoun’s participation in the “Advanced Electoral System for Effective Popular Participation” forum, organized by the Legislative Committee of the National Assembly. Al-Saadoun underscored the urgency of implementing proportional lists and modifying electoral districts without delay. Additionally, Muhammad Al-Mutair, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, highlighted the necessity of adopting a proportional list system to address the drawbacks of the current one-vote system.

Representative Muhammad Al-Sayer, the Chairman of the Legislative Committee, inaugurated the forum with a speech underlining that both the people and political forces serve as the driving force behind any political reform. Subsequently, Dr. Abdul Karim Al-Kandari, the committee’s rapporteur, elucidated that under the existing system, elections yield not only 50 individuals but also 50 divergent ideas.

MP Jarrah Al-Fawzan, a member of the committee, deemed the discussion of the law as a pivotal moment to rectify the political trajectory. Simultaneously, Dr. Mubarak Al-Tasha, another committee member, voiced his aspirations to foster justice across various sectors. Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Saqabi, also a committee member, asserted that the law addresses individual cases, propelling them toward the realm of collective action. Dr. Jinan Boushehri, a committee member as well, expressed her endorsement for the proportional list system and collaborative efforts. Additionally, MP Osama Al-Shaheen, a committee member, affirmed that the law aims to eradicate individual demands.

In the course of the discussion, Representative Dr. Abdul Hadi Al-Ajmi underscored the significance of incorporating relative justice into this law. On his part, Representative Dr. Badr Al-Mulla conveyed a diminished enthusiasm for proportional lists, attributing it to the absence of a party system. Meanwhile, Representative Prof. Dr. Hamad Al-Matar advocated for patience with the law, suggesting a return to five constituencies and four votes as a prudent measure until the concept of proportional lists matures. Representative Dr. Hassan Johar emphasized the importance of endorsing the law and urged the government to respect the will of the parliamentary majority. Speaker Al-Saadoun proposed a law amendment to divide Kuwait into five electoral districts, with nominations based on lists, limiting the number of candidates in each district to no more than ten in general elections.