Kuwait MPs shun revived parliament

Kuwait’s parliament failed yesterday to hold its first session after it was reinstated by a court ruling as a majority of MPs boycotted the meeting amid a lingering political crisis. Speaker Jassem al-Khorafi adjourned the session for next week after only six MPs of the 50-member house and several cabinet ministers turned up for the meeting boycotted by both pro-government and opposition lawmakers. Opposition MPs declined to attend saying the parliament was illegitimate while pro-government members stayed away because of the government’s refusal to pledge that it will not dissolve the house again. Elected in 2009, the pro-government parliament was dissolved in December following youth-led protests. New polls were held in February in which the Islamist-led opposition scored a massive victory. In an unprecedented ruling on June 20, the constitutional court nullified the legislative polls, scrapped the elected parliament and reinstated the 2009 assembly. Khorafi said he would invite MPs for another meeting next week and, if there was no quorum, he would refer the issue to Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah to take “appropriate action”. The emir is expected to dissolve the assembly again and call new elections, the fifth since June 2006, amid speculation the government was preparing to amend the electoral constituency and voting systems. The government has not explicitly said it will change the electoral system but Information Minister Sheikh Mohamed Abdullah al-Sabah said on Monday the cabinet would look into the matter, without giving a date or details. The opposition, however, has threatened in a petition to boycott any forthcoming election if the electoral system was changed. Around 35 members of the scrapped 2012 parliament and thousands of people have signed the petition which also calls for dissolving the reinstated parliament soon. Several opposition MPs have vowed to stage protests if the electoral system is changed.