Kuwait (AsiaNews
/ Agencies) - For the first time ever the Shiite minority has won 15 seats out
of 50 in the December 1st elections for the renewal of Kuwait's parliament. The
vote was boycotted by the opposition parties: Islamists, nationalists and
liberals. The
elections last February, canceled by authorities, the Shiite Muslims had won
only 7 seats out of 50. According
to polls by the opposition to the current government dominated by tribes loyal
to the Emir Sabah al-Sabah - only 26.6% of registered voters went to the polls,
thus making the vote invalid. However,
the website of the Ministry of Interior says that the turnout was 38.8%.
Governed
by the Emir Sabah al-Sabah, Kuwait is the oldest monarchy in the Gulf. The
dynasty of Sabah is actually in power since the late '700. The system of government is
parliamentary. In
reality the heir to the throne is also the prime minister, but parliament can
decide to remove him.
The
current crisis began last March after the victory of the Islamists in
elections, marking a historic achievement for the country that has always been
close to the positions of the western states. For
fear of the extremists, the Emir ruled the current electoral law unconstitutional.
He
annulled the vote in March, proposing new elections for December 1.
Ahmad
al-Saadoun, historical opposition leader, said that "the vote is unconstitutional."
This
position is also supported by many former members of parliament linked to the
royal family, who contest the position taken by the Emir, who in February
annulled the elections won by opposition parties. According
to the People's Committee in favor of the boycott, the parliament does not
represent the Kuwaiti people. Today,
the Islamist, nationalist and liberal opposition coalition announced a general
mobilization until the current parliament is not dissolved.
Mohammad
al-Ajmi, a political analyst, fears a new phase of instability in the country. "The
boycott - he says - renders any action by the newly formed parliamentary null and
void." The
researcher points out that Awazen, the Mutair and Ajmans, the three major
Bedouin tribes in Kuwait (about 500 thousand people) have only one
representative, compared to an average of 15.