FREEDOM AGENDA - KUWAIT ELECTION UPDATE: 24 WOMEN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 002026 SIPDIS SENSITIVE NOFORN SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, LONDON FOR TSOU, PARIS FOR ZEYA E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/30/2016 TAGS: PGOV KDEM KU FREEDOM AGENDA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SUBJECT: FREEDOM AGENDA - KUWAIT ELECTION UPDATE: 24 WOMEN AMONG 244 REGISTERED CANDIDATES REF: KUWAIT 1915 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: DCM Matt Tueller for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: A total of 244 candidates, including 24 women, have registered so far for the June 29 parliamentary elections. Kuwaiti women, participating in national elections for the first time in Kuwait's history, have responded with enthusiasm. Women account for 194,910 of Kuwait's 340,248 voters, and in some districts outnumber male voters by a ratio of almost 2-to-1. Despite the significant impact women will have in this election, or perhaps because of it, several female candidates have complained of receiving personal threats and being pressured to withdraw from the election, in most cases by family members. Three members of the ruling Al-Sabah family have publicly stated their intention to run for election, provoking an intense debate over the legality and propriety of their unprecedented candidature, which may yet prove to be a form of family "greenmail". End summary. ¶2. (SBU) As of May 31, 244 candidates, including 24 women, have registered for the June 29 parliamentary elections. Still more are expected to sign up before the ten-day registration period closes June 3. Most of the fifty members of the dissolved Parliament are running for re-election, as are many new hopefuls whose political affiliations range from liberal to Shi'a to Islamist. One by-product of the recent intense public debate over electoral reform has been to highlight the public's awareness of the issue, and many candidates are campaigning on a reform platform. One Islamist candidate, Nasser Al-Duwaila, told approximately 300 men attending his opening campaign rally, "Reform starts here." Early Political Mud-Slinging -------------- ¶3. (C) In an early indicator that this will be an intensely competitive process, some mud-slinging has already started with allegations of electoral corruption, specifically "political money" being spent to support certain candidates. A May 31 article in the Arabic daily Al-Seyassah quoted one candidate as saying that "a company" had placed ads in his constituency offering Kuwaiti citizens the opportunity to buy stock in the company. When they called, however, the "company" offered to pay voters between 500 to 1000 KD ($1,700-$3,400) to vote for a particular candidate. A number of editorialists have also criticized the Government for turning a blind eye to tribal primaries, which have been conducted openly despite being technically illegal. The Arabic daily Al-Watan carried a front-page article May 30 that gave the time, date, and location of several tribes' primaries and reported on which tribal candidates had been chosen so far. Kuwaiti Women: A Potent Political Force -------------- ¶4. (SBU) There is palpable excitement among many Kuwaiti women about participating in a national election for the first time in the country's history. Though few contacts expect a female candidate to win, they note that women will nonetheless play a significant role as voters. Of the 24 female candidates, several are well-known activists, including Dr. Rola Dashti, Aisha Al-Rashaid, Shaykha Al-Ghanim, and Fatima Al-Abdali. There are also a number of newcomers, unknown to Post and local women's activists. Of Kuwait's 340,248 eligible voters, 194,910 are women. In 21 out of the 25 constituencies, female voters outnumber male voters. In constituencies that are home to a high number of military and police personnel, who are not eligible to vote in Kuwait, the female-to-male voter ratio is as high as 2-to-1. One challenge for both male and female candidates will be reaching voters of the opposite gender since many of Kuwait's traditional political venues, such as diwaniyas and public campaign headquarters, tend to be male-dominated. One indication of women's political strength is the fact that several former Islamist MPs, most notably Dr. Nasser Al-Sane and Walid Al-Tabtabaei, are trying hard to explain their previous opposition to women's suffrage. Al-Tabtabaei told Al-Watan his opposition to women's suffrage was based on a fatwa issued by the Ministry of Awqaf, but explained that he had changed his mind based on fatwas from other clerics in the Arab world. ¶5. (SBU) Not everyone, though, is happy with women's political enfranchisement in Kuwait. Several female KUWAIT 00002026 002 OF 002 candidates have reportedly received threats, including one from a tribal area who withdrew her candidacy after receiving a "death threat." Another female candidate withdrew under pressure from her brothers. This highlights the dangers and challenges to female candidates, particularly those in tribal or "outlying" areas where conservative social values predominate, but also the determination of Kuwaiti women to capitalize on their political rights. Nonetheless, a small number of women from conservative tribal areas have registered as candidates. This is a notable development because of the powerful tribal norms that associate family honor and reputation with shielding women from the public gaze. Controversy over Al-Sabah Candidates -------------- ¶6. (C) Three members of the ruling Al-Sabah family have publicly declared their intention to run for election (without yet registering),setting off a public debate over whether or not this is constitutional. The prevailing belief among the public and most Al-Sabah is that ruling family members should not run for office or even vote, and should only be appointed to official positions. According to Dr. Ibrahim Al-Humoud of Kuwait University's Faculty of Law, while Article 82 of Kuwait's constitution permits all Kuwaiti citizens to run for Parliament, the accompanying explanatory memorandum stipulates that "the only way for the ruling family members to be involved in ruling is by appointment as ministers." He explained this was to ensure "the freedom of the elections" and to protect Al-Sabah members from "political defamation and smear campaigns." Dr. Al-Humoud asked hypothetically what would happen if a ruling family member ran for Parliament, but was not elected. He explained that this could be interpreted as a type of referendum on the Al-Sabah's leadership and damage the ruling family's prestige. Dr. Al-Humoud added that other candidates would also be likely to accuse the ruling family of tampering with election results. The Sabah family members behind this controversy are most likely deliberately provoking senior family members in the expectation that they will be offered political or financial incentives to withdraw. A Lively Campaign Environment -------------- ¶7. (U) Despite the short notice, election campaigns are kicking into full gear. Large campaign tents garnered with strings of lights are sprouting up in empty lots and campaign posters line major roads. Candidates often compete to see who can throw the most elaborate campaign banquettes and a number of candidates are reportedly hoping to attract voters to their campaign tents by broadcasting World Cup soccer matches on large-screen televisions. ********************************************* * 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/ ********************************************* * LEBARON