Kuwaitis went to the polls on Saturday in a parliamentary election overshadowed by Covid-19, with facilities laid on for citizens infected with the illness to vote in specific polling stations.
The oil-wealthy emirate has enforced some of the strictest regulations in the Gulf to combat the spread of the virus, imposing a months-extended lockdown earlier this year.
While some of these curbs have been eased, more than-the-leading campaign events that traditionally draw thousands for lavish banquets had been absent from this year’s election, although masks stay mandatory and temperature checks are routine when venturing outdoors.
Infected people today or these beneath mandatory quarantine are ordinarily confined to residence, with electronic wristbands monitoring their movements.
But in an work to respect their proper to vote, authorities designated 5 polling stations — one particular in each and every electoral district — for them to cast their ballots, amongst the 102 across the nation.
Dulled-down campaign
Unlike other oil-wealthy Gulf states, Kuwait has a lively political life with a parliament elected for 4-year terms that enjoys wide legislative powers.
Political disputes are normally fought out in the open.
Parties are neither banned nor recognised, and several groups — which includes Islamists — operate freely as de facto parties.
But with much more than 143,000 coronavirus situations to date, which includes 886 deaths, the election campaign has been toned down this year.
The polls, which opened at 8:00 am (0500 GMT), are the 1st given that the new emir, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, took workplace in September following the death of his half-brother, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, at the age of 91.
But with the opposition weakened in current years, no significant political shifts are anticipated.
A handful of campaign banners hoisted more than the streets have been the only physical reminder of the emirate’s political calendar.
Instead, this year’s campaign has primarily been fought on social networks and in the media.
‘More dynamic’
More than 567,000 Kuwaiti voters are eligible to select amongst the 326 candidates, who involve 29 females.
Ahmad Deyain, secretary basic of the opposition Kuwaiti Progressive Movement, mentioned he anticipated a decrease voter turnout than preceding years soon after the dulled-down campaign.
The usual themes are a continuous although, from promises to fight corruption and plans to address youth employment, to freedom of expression, housing, education and the thorny concern of the “bidoon”, Kuwait’s stateless minority.
From 2009 to 2013, and specially soon after the Arab Spring revolts of 2011, the nation went by means of a period of political turmoil, with parliament and cabinets dissolved various occasions amid disputes among lawmakers and governments dominated by the ruling Al-Sabah family members.
“Kuwait is still undergoing a political crisis since 2011, and that page has not yet turned,” Deyain told AFP.
“There are still disputes over the electoral system and mismanagement of state funds.”
Deyain mentioned he anticipated some lawmakers in the new assembly to be “more dynamic” in attempting to resolve some troubles.
The election outcomes are anticipated to be announced on Sunday morning.
Kuwait was the 1st Gulf Arab state to adopt a parliamentary technique in 1962. Women had been granted the proper to vote and to stand for election in 2005.