Kuwaitis to vote in second legislative election in two years

Kuwait City: Kuwaitis head to the polls on Thursday to vote inthe second parliamentary election in the tiny oil-rich Gulf countryin less than two years.

In December 2020, Kuwait elected a parliament that was dissolved inJune of this year and an early election was called, after amonths-long stalemate between opposition lawmakers and thegovernment. Some 313 candidates, including 27 women, are standing in Thursday'selection for the 50-member parliament, known as the National Assemblywith a four-year mandate.

All contenders are running as individuals because political partiesare banned in Kuwait, a US ally. Nearly 796,000 Kuwaitis are eligible to vote at polling stations,which will be open for 12 hours from 8 am (0500 GMT). Official results are expected on Friday. Kuwait was the first country in the Gulf region to establish anelected parliament in 1963. While Kuwait holds broadly free parliamentary elections, powereffectively remains in the hands of the country's ruling family andthe emir who appoints the government.