Kuwaitis Elect Representatives Amid Rising Economic Crisis

Kuwait on Saturday held parliamentary elections amid one of the country’s worst economic crises in history, as over 300 candidates, fewer than 10% of them women, competed for the legislative chamber’s 50 seats. As the results trickled in on Sunday, it appeared that no women were elected and that, despite officials’ warnings of low voter turnout due to coronavirus concerns, 60% of eligible voters cast their ballots. The new parliament will now convene for its first session in the next two weeks, though experts predict it will not complete its four-year term, similar to past parliaments. In recent years, repeated clashes between the assembly and Kuwait’s government have led to frequent dissolutions and new elections. Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah took over as emir of Kuwait following the death of his brother, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, in September.