Foreign
KUWAITIS head to the polls on Thursday to vote in the second parliamentary election in the tiny oil-rich Gulf country in less than two years.
In December 2020, Kuwait elected a parliament that was dissolved in June of this year and an early election was called, after a months-long stalemate between opposition lawmakers and the government.
Some 313 candidates, including 27 women, are standing in Thursday’s election for the 50-member parliament, known as the National Assembly with a four-year mandate.
All contenders are running as individuals because political parties are banned in Kuwait, a U.S. ally.
Nearly 796,000 Kuwaitis are eligible to vote at polling stations, which will be open for 12 hours from 8 am (0500 GMT).
Official results are expected on Friday.
Kuwait was the first country in the Gulf region to establish an elected parliament in 1963.
While Kuwait holds broadly free parliamentary elections, power effectively remains in the hands of the country’s ruling family and the emir who appoints the government. (dpa/NAN)
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Tags: Kuwaitis 2nd legislative election
