Kuwaiti Legislative Elections Underway, Determining National Assembly Members for 2023

Shafaq News/ The Kuwaiti legislative elections commenced on Tuesday to determine the members of the National Assembly for the 2023 term. A total of 207 candidates, including thirteen women, are competing for fifty parliamentary seats out of the available 207.

At 8:00 am local time (5:00 GMT), 118 polling stations opened their doors, ready to receive voters for twelve hours.

Following the completion of voting, the counting of votes will promptly begin to ascertain the elected deputies who will represent the Kuwaiti population for the next four years.

These elections mark the seventeenth legislative term of the Kuwaiti National Assembly, following the dissolution of the 2020 parliament and the cancellation of the 2022 parliament.

The elections are taking place after the Constitutional Court's ruling in March, which nullified the September 2022 elections and reinstated the 2020 parliament. The crown prince had dissolved the 2020 parliament amidst a political crisis last year.

With 759 polling stations established, approximately 800,000 registered voters can choose 50 deputies who will occupy the National Assembly.

The elections are conducted under the supervision of judges, adhering to the one-vote system, where each voter has the right to cast their ballot for a single candidate.

Kuwait is divided into five constituencies, each electing ten deputies. The candidates securing the top ten positions in their respective constituencies will earn parliamentary membership.

As Kuwaitis exercise their right to vote, the outcome of these elections will shape the composition of the National Assembly, impacting the nation's legislative landscape for the next parliamentary term.