Kuwaiti election dents critics’ hopes for reforms


Kuwaiti hard-liners make the victory sign after casting their votes in Jahra on Saturday afternoon. Hard-liners and tribal alliances maintained their grip on power and women failed to win any seats.

Hopes for economic reform in Kuwait were dealt a blow by a parliamentary election in which hard-liners and tribal alliances maintained their grip on power and women failed to win any seats critics said.

Twenty-eight members of the previous 50 seat National Assembly beset by political squabbling and delays to legislation were re-elected in Saturday's vote according to figures carried by official media on Sunday.

Kuwait's stock exchange the second-largest in the Arab world edged down after the results were announced.
"Everybody already says this is an unstable assembly and will not continue for long" said Nabeela al-Anjari a women's activist and former candidate in the 2006 election.
"The majority will support the existing powers who will follow only their interests ... We are heading towards a critical period of crises."
Ruler Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah dissolved parliament in March to end a standoff with the cabinet that had stalled political life and delayed economic reforms.
The last assembly focused on questioning ministers over their policy forcing several to resign. The OPEC producer has yet to appoint an oil minister since the last quit in November.
Kuwait which sits on a tenth of global oil reserves wants to wean its economy off energy exports and emulate the success of neighbors such as Dubai and Bahrain which have transformed themselves into financial centers and tourist destinations.
Amid the political wrangling reforms such as a bill to attract foreign investment and another to create a financial regulator were left on the back burner.
Multi-billion dollar plans to explore some northern oil fields have also been delayed partly because hard-liners and tribal deputies objected the involvement of Western firms.
"It is true that some faces were changed but in general the situation remained as it was before. The number of hard-liners and tribes has even increased" said Ali al-Baghli a former oil minister and critic of parliament and government.
"If the same old pattern continues the outcome will be the dissolution of the parliament again."