Despite the crisis in Covid, elections to the Kuwaiti parliament will be held this year. According to the constitution, postponement of elections is allowed only in case of war. Therefore, the government has decided to hold elections with strict restrictions. Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has instructed the government to prepare for the elections.
The four-year term of parliament ends on October 8. The last parliamentary election was held on November 26, 2016. Elections are likely to be held on Saturday, November 28 this year. In that case, the election will be declared in October itself. The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Health will jointly lead the election process as the Covid crisis looms. This time the number of polling stations will be increased to keep the social distance. There will also be strict restrictions on the election campaign. The campaign usually lasts for about a month. This time it will not be allowed. There are also concerns about voter turnout. In the 2016 elections, the turnout was 70 percent. The opposition won 20 seats in the 50-member parliament. In Kuwait, although the election is not a party affair, Salafi and Ikhwani – backed parties are indirectly in opposition as a blocK.
Ten people will be elected from each of the five parliamentary constituencies. The right to vote is subject to the conditions that a person must be a Kuwaiti citizen who has attained the age of 21 years, and his father must be a Kuwait citizen and reside in Kuwait at the time of the election. Citizens outside the country do not vote. Prisoners, citizens within 20 years, policemen, soldiers, and criminals will not be allowed to vote.
