Kuwaiti Emir Dissolves Parliament

22/05/2006| IslamWeb

The emir of Kuwait has dissolved parliament and called elections, a week after lawmakers and the government clashed over an election reform bill.

The decree, by Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, ordered the dissolution of the house a few days after reformist legislators submitted a request to grill Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah, the prime minister, about the bill, which is aimed at curbing voting irregularities.

The bill sought to reduce the number of electoral constituencies to 10 from 25, but parliamentarians said it needed to go further and reduce the number to constituencies to five.

The new elections will be on June 29.

The emir said he decided to dissolve parliament "to maintain the security of our country and the safety of its people".

He added that the period ahead of the election would give all sides time to "think what is in the interest of our country".

Aljazeera's correspondent in Kuwait said that the emir had ordered the dissolution of parliament after deciding there was no confidence between both sides in parliament.

The elections will be held with the current system of 25 constituencies, the decree added.

The disputed bill was introduced to the house of parliament on Monday, but the stormy session was suspended after opposition lawmakers walked out.

Reformists' supporters rallied outside the parliament on Tuesday, chanting slogans demanding that the number of electoral districts should be cut to five.

PHOTO CAPTION

A handout picture released by the Kuwaiti official news agency KUNA shows the Gulf emirate's leader, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, addressing the nation on state television in Kuwait City. (AFP)