Twenty-three women are among the 286 candidates standing for election to Kuwait’s 50-seat legislature on Thursday. The election, which marks the fourth time in six years that the nation is selecting its lawmakers, comes after the parliament was dissolved by the Emir after Arab Spring-inspired rioting broke out. Women, who constitute 54% of those eligible to vote, vote in separate lines from their male counterparts. Unofficial polls indicate that Islamist parties, which until now have formed the opposition, are strong favorites to win a majority after a period of campaigning that has been marked by sectarian and tribal-related violence and unrest. The rift between Sunnis and Shiites is growing in Kuwait as it is in other Middle Eastern nations. 68% of Kuwait’s population is comprised of foreigners.