KUWAIT CITY, May 16 (AFP) - Frustrated Kuwaitis were voting today in the Emirate's second general election in a year amid expectations of a low turnout, Islamists losing ground and women winning their first seats.
The ballot to elect 50 MPs is being held after Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah dissolved the 10-month-old parliament in March, triggering the third election since May 2006.
It follows a series of disputes between elected MPs and the unelected cabinet chosen by the Al-Sabah family that has ruled the oil-rich Gulf state since 1756.
A total of 210 hopefuls are standing for the 50-seat parliament, but analysts see little hope that the political deadlock will end, whatever the outcome.
In Jabriya district, south of Kuwait City, women voters said they were frustrated at the non-stop bickering that has paralysed politics, and prayed that women will enter parliament this time.
“It's frustrating and saddening to see political crises paralyse the country for years. It is very unfortunate that marginal issues have dominated development,” Nuha al-Awadhi told AFP.
Although the ruling family appoints the cabinet, Kuwait's parliament has legislative and monitoring powers and can vote ministers out of office. |
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