FREEDOM AGENDA: CABINET APPROVES TEN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 001673

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP, LONDON FOR TSOU, PARIS FOR ZEYA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM KWMN KU FREEDOM AGENDA
SUBJECT: FREEDOM AGENDA: CABINET APPROVES TEN
CONSTITUENCIES; PM ACCEPTS MINISTER'S RESIGNATION

REF: KUWAIT 1642 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: DCM Matt Tueller for reason 1.4 (d)


1. (C) Summary and comment: On May 9, the Cabinet approved a
draft law to reduce the number of electoral constituencies
from 25 to ten. Information Minister Dr. Anas Al-Rashaid, a
liberal who supports five constituencies, resigned in protest
of the draft law and a related proposal (not approved) to
amend the Constitution to increase the number of members of
Parliament (MPs) to 60. Prime Minister Shaykh Nasser
Mohammed Al-Sabah accepted Dr. Anas' resignation, and Energy
Minister Shaykh Ahmed Al-Fahd Al-Sabah was appointed acting
Information Minister. According to a top GOK official, the
constitutional amendment proposal has been "postponed."
Parliament is scheduled to discuss the draft law on May 15 in
what is likely to be a contentious session. Even if MPs
agree to the Government's proposal, there may still be
considerable disagreement over the geographic distribution of
the ten constituencies, a politically sensitive issue.
Although somewhat disappointed by the Government's choice of
ten constituencies, most Kuwaitis we talked to seemed to
accept it as the most politically viable option and a step
toward genuine reform. In addition, despite speculation, it
appears unlikely that other Ministers will follow Dr. Anas'
example and submit their resignations. Our contacts also
largely dismissed rumors that if there is an impasse over the
reform the Amir might dissolve Parliament, a constitutionally
legal procedure as long as elections are held within two
months of the dissolution. End summary and comment.

Mixed Reaction to Government Proposal
--------------


2. (SBU) After six consecutive days of meeting to discuss
electoral reform, the Cabinet voted May 9 to support a
reduction in the number of electoral constituencies from 25
to ten. Kuwaitis expressed mixed reaction to the
Government's proposal, which is reportedly almost identical
to a reduction plan previously submitted by the Government
and tabled by Parliament in 2004. Most proponents of
democratic reform as well as the ad hoc ministerial committee
studying electoral reform had called for five constituencies,
arguing that fewer and larger electoral constituencies would
promote greater transparency, prevent corrupt electoral
practices, and force candidates to campaign on more
broad-based political issues. Women's activist Dr. Rola
Dashti, who is a potential candidate for the 2007
parliamentary elections, alleged gerrymandering could limit
the possibility of women being elected to Parliament.
Another women's activist, Fatima Al-Abdali, echoed this view
and lauded Dr. Anas' decision to resign in protest. Other
women's activists similarly praised Dr. Anas and argued that
five constituencies would best serve Kuwait.


3. (SBU) Abdel Amir Al-Nasser, the Chairman of the Kuwait
Future Society, a Shi'a NGO, was angered by the Government's
proposal, which he believed was unfairly biased against
Kuwait's Shi'a community, approximately one third of Kuwait's
one million citizens. "Where is the justice in having one
constituency with 50,000 people and another with 16,000,"
Al-Nasser asked, referring to reported demographic inequities
in the proposed constituencies. Ahmad Dhafeeri, a columnist
in the English-language daily Arab Times, called the decision
"embarrassing." Ahmed Deyain, a columnist for the
Arabic-daily Al-Rai Al-Aam, argued that the Government did
not want any reduction, but chose to support ten
constituencies due to popular pressure and Dr. Anas'
resignation. Deputy National Assembly Speaker Mishari
Al-Anjari, who supports five constituencies, argued that
there was "not that much difference" between the five and ten
constituency proposals, and predicted Parliament would
approve ten constituencies on May 15. He did not believe
there would be any "ramifications" from Dr. Anas' resignation
since the Cabinet had quickly approved the ten constituency
proposal.


4. (C) Issam Al-Dabbous, a Government-leaning MP who
strongly opposes the reduction, told Poloff he had first
proposed increasing the number of MPs to 60 as a diversionary
tactic to bloc approval of the five constituency proposal.
Asked why he opposed the reform, he responded that Kuwait was
"run by money" and corruption, and would never change. He
added that liberals and Islamists in Kuwait wanted the reform
as the first step toward a true constitutional monarchy with
political parties and a rotation of power in Parliament.
Al-Dabbous claimed elements of the ruling Al-Sabah family
feared losing their power and influence if the reform was
adopted. He predicted the May 15 session would be adjourned
due to heated debate over the Government's ten constituency

KUWAIT 00001673 002 OF 002


proposal.

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For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s

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