Frequent dissolution dampens candidatures

KUWAIT CITY, May 15: The number of candidates in the 2023 parliamentary election, which reached 252 including 15 women, is the lowest in the last 10 years. This low number could be attributed to the frequent dissolution and nullification of parliaments over the years. Following is a breakdown of the number of parliamentary candidates in the last 10 years: 418 including eight women in 2013, 454 including 15 women in 2016, 359 including 33 women in 2020 and 376 including 27 women in 2022.

Meanwhile, member of the nullified 2022 Parliament and 2023 election candidate Alyaa Al-Khalid called for strict enforcement of the Penal Code to deal with “media chaos and fake social media accounts.” Candidate Waleed Al-Nasser suggested withdrawing the Kuwaiti citizenship granted from 1992 till date, renewal of passports every 10 years, and stop all allowances granted to citizens for the country to save a huge amount which will be used to increase the minimum salary to KD3,000.He believes this will end the suffering of citizens; hence, it will no longer necessary to write off their loans. By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh Arab Times Staff