Kuwaiti parliamentary election, 2008

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Kuwait
This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Kuwait

Al-Sabah Dynasty Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Prime Minister Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah National Assembly Political parties Elections: 2006, 2008 Governorates (muhafazah) Districts Foreign relations Human rights
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An early parliamentary election was held in Kuwait on 17 May 2008 after the Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah dissolved the National Assembly of Kuwait on 19 March 2008 over constant clashes between the government and the elected MPs.^[1] The last elections were held less than two years previously and saw a loose alliance of reformists and Islamists gain almost two thirds of the seats.^[2]

361,685 Kuwaitis were eligible to vote, more than half of them women; 27 of the 275 candidates were women.^[3]^[4] None of the female candidates won.^[5]

New rules introduced for this election have changed the 25 constituencies electing two to five electing 10. This was a demand of the reformist Kuwaiti Orange Movement, which led mass demonstrations in 2006, who believed the change would impede vote buying electoral frauds.^[6]

A leading theme in the election was inflation, which hit a record high 9.5% four months before the election. Many candidates in the election proposed increased governmental subsidies to be funded by oil profits.^[7]

[edit] Results

e•d Summary of the 17 May 2008 National Assembly of Kuwait **election results**
	2006	2008	change
Islamic Bloc (Sunni) (incl. Hadas)	17	21	+4
Shia + Popular Action Bloc	9	9	0
Liberals and allies	8	7	–1
Independents (pro-government and tribal members)	16	13	-3
Total (turnout 80 %)	50	50	—
Source: BBCArabic.com, Al Jazeera English