Splits prevent the Kuwaiti parliament from reducing elections circles
Kuwait, Politics, 6/14/2004

The political reform process in Kuwait underwent a stumbled start when strong differences among members of the Kuwaiti national council prevented the voting on Saturday on a draft resolution to amend the elections law.

The amendment which is described as the first steps to political reforms in Kuwait states to reduce the number of electoral circles estimated at 25 to 10 in an attempt to eliminate violations in the elections. The chairman of the council Jasem al-Khurafi was obliged to halt the session and postpone discussion of the issue until next week after the session witnessed sharp discussion and complaints and reciprocated accusation between a group of parliamentarian supporting the amendment and another one opposing it.

Following the session, the liberal parliamentarian Ali al-Rashed, a supporter to amendment, said " political reforms in Kuwait seemed a difficult matter but not impossible " accusing the one who opposed the session of being enemies of democracy.

The council which is split to two equal groups with the first composed of the liberal and Islamic opposition which supports amendment and the other includes the representatives of tribes and independents oppose the change. The supporters said that the current law is responsible for enhancing tribal, sectarian and family effects and encourage buying votes and other sorts of political corruption in the elections.

The Islamic parliamentarian Faisal al-Muslim said during the session " Kuwait's interest is on the spot today. It is a historical day and needs a historical decision. This project is an entrance to comprehensive political reforms."

However, the opposers consider that the proposed amendment is discriminatory and does not guarantee a just distribution of the number of votes and therefore will lead to undesired splits inside the society. Parliamentarian Ali al-Diqbasi, who opposes amendment said " the Kuwaitis should not be discriminated. This project perpetuates racism, and sectarianism in Kuwait. Any amendment should be based on justice and equality."

The Kuwaiti prime minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah announced in a previous session the determination of the government to proceed forward in the economic reforms operation but he stressed it wants to guarantee justice and equality.

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