FREEDOM AGENDA: REDUCTION OF ELECTORAL DISTRICTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 004293

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARPI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/02/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM KISL SOCI KU FREEDOM AGENDA
SUBJECT: FREEDOM AGENDA: REDUCTION OF ELECTORAL DISTRICTS
BACK ON THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

REF: A. KUWAIT 4190


B. KUWAIT 4186

C. KUWAIT 4008

D. KUWAIT 3873


1. (SBU) Summary and comment: Reducing the number of
electoral districts from 25 to 10 is a top priority for
reform-minded parliamentarians (MPs) in the next National
Assembly session, which begins October 17. They argue that
the reduction would reduce electoral corruption by making
common practices like vote buying more difficult and bolster
a more open, democratic political system. A reform agenda
agreed on by the majority of Kuwait's diverse political
associations indicates that there is strong support for
electoral reform (ref. A). An Arabic-language television
program entitled "Priorities of the National Assembly in the
Next Session" aired October 1 on Kuwait television and
featured three guests from across the political spectrum:
Khaled Al-Sultan, a former MP and Chairman of the Traditional
Salafi political association; Abdul Mohsen Jamal, a former MP
from the National Islamic Alliance (NIA),a conservative
Shi'a political association with ties to Iran; and Imad
Al-Saif, a liberal lawyer. Though disagreeing on other
issues, the three agreed that amending the electoral
districts was crucial to political reform in Kuwait.
National Guard Chief and ruling family member Shaykh Salem
Al-Ali Al-Salem Al-Sabah called for electoral reform in a
September 26 interview published in Arabic-language daily
Al-Qabas.


2. (C) Comment: While the Government has publicly supported
electoral reform and even submitted two proposals on reducing
the number of electoral districts to the National Assembly
during its last session, some observers question the
Government's sincerity, noting the GOK failed to lobby for
change and arguing the Government could lose considerable
influence in the National Assembly if the reform was
implemented. MPs with vested interests in the status quo are
likely to put up strong opposition to reform, setting the
stage for an intense political debate. (End summary and
comment.)

Electoral Reform Returns to Legislative Agenda
-------------- -


3. (SBU) Emboffs have confirmed that reducing the number of
electoral districts from 25 to 10, a key component of the
political reform agenda agreed upon by the majority of
Kuwait's political associations (ref. A),will be on the
legislative agenda when the National Assembly reconvenes
October 17. Numerous contacts from across the political
spectrum have stressed the importance of reducing the number
of districts to stem electoral corruption, especially the
practice of vote buying, which is alleged to be common in
some electoral districts in Kuwait. The reduction would
force parliamentarians to compete for support among a larger
pool of voters, thus limiting their ability to engineer
election outcomes, and helping to forge greater consensus in
the National Assembly on broad policy issues.


4. (SBU) In an October 1 television program broadcast on
Kuwait TV Channel 1, the official government television
station, and entitled "Priorities of the National Assembly in
the Next Session," three guests from across the ideological
spectrum in Kuwait agreed that electoral reform is critical
to political reform. The program featured former MP and
Chairman of the Traditional Salafi political association
Khaled Al-Sultan, former MP from the conservative, pro-Iran,
Shi'a National Islamic Alliance (NIA) Abdul Mohsen Jamal, and
liberal lawyer Imad Al-Saif. Jamal criticized the lack of
clear and consistent parliamentary priorities, faulting the
Government for interfering in the National Assembly and for
playing parliamentarians against each other. If the
Government is serious about reform, it will approve a
reduction in the number of electoral districts, Jamal argued.
He also emphasized the need to increase democratic awareness
in Kuwait.


5. (SBU) Al-Sultan blasted both the Government and MPs for
rampant corruption, arguing that some MPs were positioning
themselves against issues just to force the Government to pay
for their support. Electoral reform is an important
first-step in implementing broader political reform,
Al-Sultan argued. Without these reforms, nothing will
improve, he warned. Al-Saif expressed disappointment about
National Assembly politics, which he said were characterized
by a "culture of appeasing and satisfying the voter."
Electoral corruption could be prevented through political
reform, specifically reducing the number of electoral
districts, he argued. Without electoral reform, Al-Saif said
he would remain pessimistic about Government efforts to
combat corruption.

Top Al-Sabah Backs Reform
--------------


6. (C) Shaykh Salem Al-Ali Al-Salem Al-Sabah, the National
Guard Chief and the third highest ranking royal family
member, came out in support of electoral reform in a
September 26 interview published in the pro-reform
Arabic-language daily Al-Qabas. In the interview, Shaykh
Salem Al-Ali called for "amending the constituencies" and for
allowing military personnel the right to vote, which is
currently denied. If these reforms are implemented, there
would be a "great change in Kuwaiti democracy for the
better," he argued.

Nostalgia for the Way It Used to Be
--------------


7. (SBU) Until 1980, parliamentary elections in Kuwait were
conducted on a ten district system with five MPs elected from
each district. Under this system, election campaigns were
based primarily on issues of national concern, and less on
sectarian or tribal affiliations. An average of five
neighborhoods were incorporated in each electoral district
ensuring voter diversity. No more than four of the ten
districts were characterized by strong tribal affiliations.


8. (SBU) When the election law was changed by Amiri Decree
in 1980, during a period when the National Assembly was
dissolved, tribalism and sectarianism gained greater
significance in Kuwaiti politics. The number of districts
with strong tribal identity rose to 13 out of 25. Electoral
corruption also increased sharply as electoral margins
dropped; the smaller districts allowed both individual MPs
and the Government to influence a limited number of voters.
The number of "service deputies," MPs whose support was based
almost solely on doing political favors for their
constituents, also increased markedly.


9. (SBU) During the last National Assembly session, the
Government introduced two proposals to reduce the number of
electoral districts. When MPs and the Government could not
agree on which proposal to discuss first, the issue was
dropped and the proposals sidelined. While the Government
faulted the National Assembly, some observers questioned the
Government's commitment to reform, speculating that the
proposals may have been designed to undermine support for a
separate National Assembly proposal. After all, some
contacts point out, the Government could lose considerable
influence in the National Assembly if the number of electoral
districts is reduced. In addition, a significant number of
incumbent MPs may calculate that they are unlikely to be
re-elected if their safe seats are incorporated into larger
districts.


10. (SBU) Our contacts insist that reducing the number of
electoral districts from 25 to 10 will promote more open and
democratic elections as MPs are forced to appeal to a wider
range of voters. Many would like to see an even lower number
of districts, arguing that five, or even one district would
be adequate for Kuwait' relatively small population of
voters. However, consensus has emerged that ten is
politically feasible.

*********************************************
Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/

You can also access this site through the
State Department's Classified SIPRNET website
*********************************************
LEBARON