n 10 May 2024, the Emir of Kuwait, Mishal Al–Ahmad Al–Jaber Al–Sabah, dissolved the National Assembly, the country's Parliament, just a month after the last election and assumed some of its powers— along with the royal–appointed cabinet. Kuwait’s Parliament coexists with the government, known as the cabinet, which the Emir appoints. He also suspended seven articles of the Kuwait constitution that regulate the powers of the Parliament for "no more than four years" while pledging to evaluate the country's political system during this period. The Emir justified his decision by citing the ongoing conflict between these two entities, which has led to a domestic, political deadlock and a lack of progress in economic diversification following the Saudi model.
The Emir expressed concern about the spread of corruption within state facilities, including security and economic institutions. According to the 2023 Corruption Perception Index (CPI), Kuwait has shown a slight, consistent increase in corruption since 2016. The Emir also emphasized that he would not allow the misuse of democracy to undermine the state.
The Parliament dissolution has not yet led to significant foreign policy developments, but its domestic consequences will be considerable. The main fear is that this event could start a slow authoritarian transformation of Kuwait, with civil society repression and stricter control over the media. The challenge facing Kuwait in the near future is finding a balance between improving domestic governance without undermining its semi–democratic system.
Political stalemate, slow economic growth
A similar situation occurred in 1976 and 1986 when Kuwait's Parliament was dissolved. Both attempts to turn the country into an authoritarian state failed due to widespread protests and political pressure. Over the decades, Kuwait's semi–democracy has been one of the most interesting political experiments in the Middle East.
In recent years, the relationship between the Parliament and the cabinet has been troubled, with four elections since 2020—the last one in April 2024 won by the opposition. The prolonged instability has affected Kuwait's economic diversification. This country is the Middle East's fourth largest oil exporter and has a sovereign wealth fund, the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), with more than $800 billion in assets under management. So far, Kuwait has not adopted plans like Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 or Abu Dhabi's Economic Vision 2030.
Kuwait's GDP growth averaged 0.7% between 2013 and 2022. It peaked after the Russian invasion of Ukraine due to higher oil prices. However, the recent decrease in oil prices has ended this trend, with a projected 0.7% GDP increase in 2024. The country's economy continues to be influenced by global energy market fluctuations.
After the dissolution: investments and foreign policy
Now that the Parliament has been dissolved, the Emir's priority is to attract more foreign direct investments (FDI), especially in the energy sector. In 2020, Kuwait was outside the top five FDI destinations in the Middle East, surpassed by states with failed governance like Lebanon. International investors consider Kuwait an unfriendly business environment, given the previous block to joint ventures with foreign partners made by the Parliament.
In light of the current global focus on the Israel–Hamas conflict, the dissolution of the Parliament has not garnered much attention in terms of international affairs. The U.S., a key military ally of Kuwait, has not commented on the matter, and China and Russia have also maintained a neutral stance. As a result, the challenge is primarily domestic and is expected to revolve around the royal family and the civilian population.
Balancing effective governance and democracy
Kuwait faces a significant challenge in finding a balance between improving domestic governance without undermining its semi–democratic system. The Parliament plays a crucial role in ensuring accountability within the country's political system. In addition, according to some experts, the Parliament alone is not entirely responsible for the country's decline, as poorly competent governments have also contributed to the situation.
Kuwait's future is also important for the Middle East because the country is doing better in terms of gender equality compared to its neighbors. Women in Kuwait can participate in politics by voting and being elected to the Parliament, a right that is not often guaranteed in countries like Saudi Arabia. Women need increasing political participation in the Middle East, not less, and Kuwait's Parliament plays a crucial role in this.
The Emir's upcoming decisions will significantly affect Kuwait's future. If the dissolution of Parliament turns out to be permanent, Kuwait might opt for top– down policies to boost the country's economy in the short term. However, this could diminish the long–term political vibrancy that makes Kuwait’s democratic experiment unique in the region.
a global affairs media network
The future of Kuwait's semi–democracy after the Parliament's dissolution
Kuwait Towers by Masrur Rahman from Unsplash.
June 14, 2024
In May 2024, Kuwait's Emir dissolved the National Assembly—assuming some powers and suspending key constitutional articles. The fear is that this event could start a slow authoritarian transformation of Kuwait, with civil society repression and stricter media control, writes Elia Preto Martini.
O
n 10 May 2024, the Emir of Kuwait, Mishal Al–Ahmad Al–Jaber Al–Sabah, dissolved the National Assembly, the country's Parliament, just a month after the last election and assumed some of its powers— along with the royal–appointed cabinet. Kuwait’s Parliament coexists with the government, known as the cabinet, which the Emir appoints. He also suspended seven articles of the Kuwait constitution that regulate the powers of the Parliament for "no more than four years" while pledging to evaluate the country's political system during this period. The Emir justified his decision by citing the ongoing conflict between these two entities, which has led to a domestic, political deadlock and a lack of progress in economic diversification following the Saudi model.
The Emir expressed concern about the spread of corruption within state facilities, including security and economic institutions. According to the 2023 Corruption Perception Index (CPI), Kuwait has shown a slight, consistent increase in corruption since 2016. The Emir also emphasized that he would not allow the misuse of democracy to undermine the state.
The Parliament dissolution has not yet led to significant foreign policy developments, but its domestic consequences will be considerable. The main fear is that this event could start a slow authoritarian transformation of Kuwait, with civil society repression and stricter control over the media. The challenge facing Kuwait in the near future is finding a balance between improving domestic governance without undermining its semi–democratic system.
Political stalemate, slow economic growth
A similar situation occurred in 1976 and 1986 when Kuwait's Parliament was dissolved. Both attempts to turn the country into an authoritarian state failed due to widespread protests and political pressure. Over the decades, Kuwait's semi–democracy has been one of the most interesting political experiments in the Middle East.
In recent years, the relationship between the Parliament and the cabinet has been troubled, with four elections since 2020—the last one in April 2024 won by the opposition. The prolonged instability has affected Kuwait's economic diversification. This country is the Middle East's fourth largest oil exporter and has a sovereign wealth fund, the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), with more than $800 billion in assets under management. So far, Kuwait has not adopted plans like Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 or Abu Dhabi's Economic Vision 2030.
Kuwait's GDP growth averaged 0.7% between 2013 and 2022. It peaked after the Russian invasion of Ukraine due to higher oil prices. However, the recent decrease in oil prices has ended this trend, with a projected 0.7% GDP increase in 2024. The country's economy continues to be influenced by global energy market fluctuations.
After the dissolution: investments and foreign policy
Now that the Parliament has been dissolved, the Emir's priority is to attract more foreign direct investments (FDI), especially in the energy sector. In 2020, Kuwait was outside the top five FDI destinations in the Middle East, surpassed by states with failed governance like Lebanon. International investors consider Kuwait an unfriendly business environment, given the previous block to joint ventures with foreign partners made by the Parliament.
In light of the current global focus on the Israel–Hamas conflict, the dissolution of the Parliament has not garnered much attention in terms of international affairs. The U.S., a key military ally of Kuwait, has not commented on the matter, and China and Russia have also maintained a neutral stance. As a result, the challenge is primarily domestic and is expected to revolve around the royal family and the civilian population.
Balancing effective governance and democracy
Kuwait faces a significant challenge in finding a balance between improving domestic governance without undermining its semi–democratic system. The Parliament plays a crucial role in ensuring accountability within the country's political system. In addition, according to some experts, the Parliament alone is not entirely responsible for the country's decline, as poorly competent governments have also contributed to the situation.
Kuwait's future is also important for the Middle East because the country is doing better in terms of gender equality compared to its neighbors. Women in Kuwait can participate in politics by voting and being elected to the Parliament, a right that is not often guaranteed in countries like Saudi Arabia. Women need increasing political participation in the Middle East, not less, and Kuwait's Parliament plays a crucial role in this.
The Emir's upcoming decisions will significantly affect Kuwait's future. If the dissolution of Parliament turns out to be permanent, Kuwait might opt for top– down policies to boost the country's economy in the short term. However, this could diminish the long–term political vibrancy that makes Kuwait’s democratic experiment unique in the region.
