Opposition political blocs and the mostly Islamist Majority Bloc signed a document on Saturday that rejects any amendments to the Elections Law prior to the upcoming parliament elections. The document rejects changes to the five constituencies and the number of votes, saying the matter is the prerogative of the legislative authority. The signatories include the Majority Bloc, the Kuwaiti Reform Movement, the Popular Bloc, the Reform and Development Bloc, the Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM), as well as liberal MP Saleh Al-Mullah. News reports predict that HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah will approve the decree dissolving the 2009 Assembly this week, as early as Sunday. The government presented HH the Amir with a draft decree to dissolve the 2009 Assembly last Wednesday. However, parliament sources believe that the dissolution will be delayed to later this month, possibly until after Eid Al-Adha.
The political field is witnessing a battle between pro-government lawmakers in support of decrees of urgency and the opposition who don’t. Opposition forces warn of decrees of urgency that change the election system amidst rumors that the government is planning a decree to decrease the number of parliament candidates a voter can choose from four to one or two. Members of the Majority Bloc have announced they will boycott the upcoming elections if the decrees are issued, while youth opposition group “Nahaj” met on Saturday to discuss whether or not to continue gathering at Al-Erada Square to protest any electoral changes.
Full Article: Kuwait- Opposition rejects changes to Election Law – Middle East North Africa Financial Network – MENAFN.
