2020 Kuwaiti general election
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5 December 2020
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50 of the 65 seats in the National Assembly | |
| Turnout | 69.4% (Increase 4.2pp) |
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| File:Emblem of the State of Kuwait.svg |
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Arab League Member State of the Arab League |
| Constitution |
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General elections were held in Kuwait on 5 December 2020.[1][2][3] Two-thirds of the incumbents lost their seats, including the 2016 parliament's sole woman MP Safa Al Hashem.[4]
Background
[edit | edit source]Registration of candidates contesting for the 50 seats of the National Assembly took place between 26 October and 4 November 2020.[5][6] 102 schools were used for the 2020 National Assembly elections on December 5.[7] Each school had a clinic set up to check on the health condition of all those entering.[8]
Electoral system
[edit | edit source]The 50 elected members of the National Assembly are elected from five 10-seat constituencies by single non-transferable vote.[9] Political parties are not officially licensed, therefore candidates run as individuals, although many political groups operate freely as de facto political parties.[10] All Kuwaiti citizens (both male and female) above the age of 21 have the right to vote. Expatriate workers, who constituted 70% of the population, were not enfranchised.
Results
[edit | edit source]Overall, opposition candidates won 24 seats, up from 16 in the previous parliament. The election was seen as a victory for the anti-government opposition bloc. Thirty of the elected candidates were under the age of 45; whilst there were 29 female candidates, none were elected, leaving the parliament without a female MP for the first time since the year 2012.[10] There was a total of 567,694 registered voters, of which 394,131 cast a valid vote.[11]
Aftermath
[edit | edit source]Following the elections, a new Speaker of the National Assembly was elected on 15 December. Incumbent Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim was re-elected with 33 votes, defeating Bader Nasser Al-Humaidi, who received 28. Four members did not vote.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marzouq Al-Ghanim | Independent | 33 | 54.10 | |
| Bader Al Humaidi | Independent | 28 | 45.90 | |
| Total | 61 | 100.00 | ||
| Valid votes | 61 | 95.31 | ||
| Invalid/blank votes | 3 | 4.69 | ||
| Total votes | 64 | 100.00 | ||
| Registered voters/turnout | 65 | 98.46 | ||
Parliament unanimously approved a motion of noncooperation, meaning the cabinet must be replaced.[12]
References
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- ^ Electoral system Inter-Parliamentary Union
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- ^ Emirate of Kuwait: Legislative elections of 5 December 2020 Psephos
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