Large candidate pool gears up for Kuwait's parliamentary elections
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The disqualifications have reduced the total number of candidates contesting in the April 4 National Assembly elections to approximately 200.
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Members of parliament take part of the new Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Sabag’s oath ceremony at the National Assembly in Kuwait City, Wednesday, December 20, 2023. (AP)
The Kuwaiti court of appeals dismissed appeals from several candidates in the parliamentary elections on Sunday, upholding the decision that Marzouq al-Hubaini, former MPs Marzouq al-Khalifa, Ahmad Moteh al-Azmi, and Jaber al-Muhailbi are disqualified from running due to violations during the byelections.
In a message posted on the X platform, directed towards the Interior Minister, al-Khalifa stated, “We will continue to speak the truth against your unjust rulings at all legitimate platforms," stressing "You will not intimidate us."
He further alleged that the interior minister is stirring up discord among the Kuwaiti populace.
The disqualifications have reduced the total number of candidates contesting in the April 4 National Assembly elections to approximately 200. According to Article 24 of the National Assembly Elections Law, candidates can withdraw until at least 7 days before the election.
According to the Justice Ministry, a total of 123 schools have been designated as polling stations across the five electoral districts.
In the first district, 16 schools have been allocated as polling stations, while 18 schools will serve this purpose in the second district, 22 in the third district, 28 in the fourth district, and 34 in the fifth district.
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On March 16, 2024, the Election Administration under Kuwait's Ministry of Interior disqualified 14 candidates due to their involvement in organizing byelections, which the committee deemed as compromising their honor and integrity.
It is worth noting that the National Assembly elections are slated for April 4.
Kuwait's parliament consists of 50 members elected through a secret ballot. The country is divided into five electoral districts, each electing ten members. Each voter is entitled to cast only one vote for one candidate.
According to the latest official statistics for electoral registrations this month, the total number of eligible voters in all districts is 834,733.
The upcoming elections on April 4 mark the first parliamentary elections under the reign of Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Mishal al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah and the second elections to be held in Ramadan in Kuwait's history, following the elections held in 2013.
