Kuwait Braces for 1st Parliamentary Elections under New Emir

Kuwait is preparing for the legislative elections which is due to kick off Saturday in the absence of the mass meetings, luxurious food receptions, which usually characterize election campaigns in the country over fears of coronavirus outbreak.

The voting would be the first to get organized in Kuwait since the new Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah took office on September 29th.

The streets of Kuwait were empty of the normal elections, except for some electoral banners in a number of streets and roads.

The Kuwaiti authorities did not allow the opening of headquarters in the five electoral districts or the organization of any rhetorical festivals over fear pandemic outbreak, while male and female candidates resorted to relying on social media during their election campaigns.

Candidates address voters through tweets on "Twitter" or short video recordings on platforms such as "Snapchat", while others resort to live broadcasts on "Instagram" or to organize election seminars using video calling technology. Others use media outlets such as paper and electronic newspapers and local television channels to display advertisements for candidates.

In this regard, advertising prices range from ten thousand Kuwaiti dinars to fifty thousand for a full month, according to the head of the Kuwaiti Electronic Media Federation Faisal Al-Sawagh.

He added to AFP that "Kuwaitis use social media that allowed them to make their voices heard, and provided them with the opportunity to hear clear ideas from the candidates."

The issues dealt with by candidates for the legislative elections in Kuwait are varied with the most important of which are combating corruption, resolving the issue of the Bidun (stateless people living in the desert), developing education, providing job opportunities for youth and housing, in addition to freedom of expression and others.

In addition, many point out that the restrictions imposed by the government will save a lot of money for candidates who this time did not have to rent election headquarters or organize big food receptions or election rallies.

The candidate in the first constituency, lawyer Ali Al-Ali, noted that "the average candidates spend reaches one hundred thousand Kuwaiti dinars (327 thousand dollars)."