Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KUWAIT3826
2006-09-24 12:14:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:
AFFILIATIONS OF THE 2006-2010 PARLIAMENT
how-toVZCZCXRO8146 PP RUEHDE DE RUEHKU #3826/01 2671214 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 241214Z SEP 06 FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6868 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 003826
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR KDEM KU NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
SUBJECT: AFFILIATIONS OF THE 2006-2010 PARLIAMENT
REF: KUWAIT 2602
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 003826
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR KDEM KU NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
SUBJECT: AFFILIATIONS OF THE 2006-2010 PARLIAMENT
REF: KUWAIT 2602
1. (SBU) Summary: Campaigning on a pro-reform,
anti-corruption platform, opposition candidates won a
two-seat majority in the June 2006 parliamentary elections.
Parliamentarians (MPs) have since organized themselves into
blocs, which serve as a means for coordinating on a common
legislative agenda and on relations with other blocs and the
Government. Some MPs are also members of political
associations and/or Kuwaiti tribes. The following is an
outline of Kuwait's 50 elected MPs' affiliations by
parliamentary bloc, political association, and tribal
membership. End summary.
2. (SBU) Pro-reform, opposition candidates made significant
gains in the June 2006 parliamentary elections, an outcome
seen by many Kuwaitis as a vote for reform and against
corruption (reftel). As is usual, MPs have since organized
themselves into blocs through which they cooperate on a
common legislative agenda and coordinate with other MPs and
the Government. What could be termed loosely as the
Opposition is composed of three blocs: the Popular Action
Bloc (9 MPs),the National Action Bloc (8 MPs),and the
Islamist Bloc (17 MPs),giving the Opposition a two-seat
majority in the 65-member Parliament. While these blocs
share similar objectives on political reform, there are
otherwise significant differences among them, particularly on
social, religious, and foreign policy issues. There is also
a 12-member Independent (pro-Government) Bloc and the 16
Cabinet Ministers who serve as ex officio MPs and always vote
as a bloc. Three MPs, including the Speaker, have yet to
join a bloc and may remain independent.
3. (SBU) Some MPs are also members of political
associations, which operate outside Parliament; political
parties are not officially recognized by the Government. The
largest and most well-organized of these is the Islamic
Constitutional Movement (ICM),the political arm of the
Kuwaiti Muslim Brotherhood, which has six MPs in Parliament.
Other political associations vary in size and degree of
organization; some are no more than informal groupings of
like-minded individuals. The Iran-leaning, Shi'a National
Islamic Alliance (NIA) and the conservative, Sunni Salafi
Islamic Grouping (SIG) each have two MPs in Parliament. In
the recent elections, some political associations backed
independent candidates with similar political leanings,
somewhat blurring the distinction between
politically-affiliated candidates and those that were truly
independent.
4. (SBU) Tribal, familial, and personal relations also play
a role in determining MPs' positions on particular issues,
especially when they are called upon to exercise their wasta
(connections) on behalf of a relative, friend, or
constituent. Twenty-four of the 50 elected MPs are of tribal
origin: Awazim (7),Mutran (4),Eneza (3),Ajman (3),
Rashayda (3),Otban (3),and Shammar (1). The urban-tribal
division is an important distinction in Kuwait and one with
significant political implications; tribal MPs tend to be
either Islamist or pro-Government, whereas liberals rarely
have tribal affiliations. In addition, in spite of being
30-35% of the population, there are only four Shi'a MPs in
Parliament, a fact most observers blame on divisions within
the Shi'a community. Given their diverse affiliations, MPs
are subject to a variety of competing interests, which
explains in part the complexity of Kuwaiti domestic politics.
5. (U) The following is a list of Kuwait's 50 elected MPs by
parliamentary bloc, political association, and tribal
affiliation. The list excludes Falah Al-Hajeri, a first-time
MP who was appointed Minister of Commerce and Industry in
July 2006, and the rest of the 16-member Cabinet.
"Independent" here refers to candidates not formally
affiliated with a particular political association. For a
summary of Kuwait's political associations and full bios on
all the MPs, please see our siprnet website.
Islamic Bloc
--------------
Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM):
- Dr. Duaij Al-Shammari
- Dr. Nasser Al-Sane
- Jamal Al-Kandari
- Khudair Al-Enezi (Eneza)
- Dr. Mohammed Al-Bousairi (Deputy Speaker / Ajman)
- Dr. Jaman Al-Hirbish (Eneza)
Salafi Islamic Grouping (SIG):
KUWAIT 00003826 002 OF 002
- Ahmed Baqer (Coordinator of the Islamic Bloc)
- Dr. Ali Al-Omair
Independent Islamists:
- Adel Al-Sar'awi
- Dr. Walid Al-Tabtabaei
- Dr. Faisal Al-Mislim (Otban)
- Dr. Daifallah Bou Ramya (Mutran)
- Hussein Mezyid Al-Deehani (Mutran)
- Khalid Al-Adwa (Ajman)
- Abdullah Akkash (Mutran)
- Jaber Al-Muhailbi (Awazim)
- Dr. Saad Al-Shraye (Awazim)
Popular Action Bloc
--------------
National Islamic Alliance (NIA):
- Adnan Abdul Samad (Shi'a)
- Ahmed Lari (Shi'a)
Independents:
- Ahmed Al-Saadoun (Coordinator of the Popular Action Bloc)
- Musallam Al-Barrak (Mutran)
- Mohammed Khalifa Al-Khalifa (Shammar)
- Hassan Jowhar (Shi'a)
- Marzouk Al-Hubaini (Awazim)
- Ahmed Al-Shuhoumi (Awazim)
- Abdullah Mahdi Al-Sharfan (Ajman)
National Action Bloc
--------------
Kuwait Democratic Forum (KDF):
- Faisal Al-Shaye
Independent Liberals:
- Ali Al-Rashed
- Mohammed Jassem Al-Sager
- Mishari Al-Anjari
Independents:
- Ahmed Al-Mulaifi
- Abdullah Al-Roumi
- Saleh Al-Fadhala
- Marzouq Al-Ghanem
Independent (pro-Government) Bloc
--------------
National Charter Grouping (NCG):
- Saleh Ashour (Shi'a)
Independents:
- Abdul Wahid Al-Awadi
- Jamal Al-Omar
- Waleed Al-Osaimi (Otban)
- Mizel Al-Nimran (Rashayda)
- Ali Al-Deqbasi (Rashayda)
- Mubarak Al-Khrainij (Rashayda)
- Khalah Al-Dumaithir (Eneza)
- Talal Al-Ayyar
- Saadoun Al-Otaibi (Otban)
- Ghanem Al-Mai (Awazim)
- Abdullah Raie Al-Fahma (Awazim)
Not Affiliated
--------------
- Jassem Al-Khorafi (Speaker)
- Hussein Al-Huraiti (Awazim)
- Mohammed Barrak Al-Mutair
********************************************* *
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
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR KDEM KU NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
SUBJECT: AFFILIATIONS OF THE 2006-2010 PARLIAMENT
REF: KUWAIT 2602
1. (SBU) Summary: Campaigning on a pro-reform,
anti-corruption platform, opposition candidates won a
two-seat majority in the June 2006 parliamentary elections.
Parliamentarians (MPs) have since organized themselves into
blocs, which serve as a means for coordinating on a common
legislative agenda and on relations with other blocs and the
Government. Some MPs are also members of political
associations and/or Kuwaiti tribes. The following is an
outline of Kuwait's 50 elected MPs' affiliations by
parliamentary bloc, political association, and tribal
membership. End summary.
2. (SBU) Pro-reform, opposition candidates made significant
gains in the June 2006 parliamentary elections, an outcome
seen by many Kuwaitis as a vote for reform and against
corruption (reftel). As is usual, MPs have since organized
themselves into blocs through which they cooperate on a
common legislative agenda and coordinate with other MPs and
the Government. What could be termed loosely as the
Opposition is composed of three blocs: the Popular Action
Bloc (9 MPs),the National Action Bloc (8 MPs),and the
Islamist Bloc (17 MPs),giving the Opposition a two-seat
majority in the 65-member Parliament. While these blocs
share similar objectives on political reform, there are
otherwise significant differences among them, particularly on
social, religious, and foreign policy issues. There is also
a 12-member Independent (pro-Government) Bloc and the 16
Cabinet Ministers who serve as ex officio MPs and always vote
as a bloc. Three MPs, including the Speaker, have yet to
join a bloc and may remain independent.
3. (SBU) Some MPs are also members of political
associations, which operate outside Parliament; political
parties are not officially recognized by the Government. The
largest and most well-organized of these is the Islamic
Constitutional Movement (ICM),the political arm of the
Kuwaiti Muslim Brotherhood, which has six MPs in Parliament.
Other political associations vary in size and degree of
organization; some are no more than informal groupings of
like-minded individuals. The Iran-leaning, Shi'a National
Islamic Alliance (NIA) and the conservative, Sunni Salafi
Islamic Grouping (SIG) each have two MPs in Parliament. In
the recent elections, some political associations backed
independent candidates with similar political leanings,
somewhat blurring the distinction between
politically-affiliated candidates and those that were truly
independent.
4. (SBU) Tribal, familial, and personal relations also play
a role in determining MPs' positions on particular issues,
especially when they are called upon to exercise their wasta
(connections) on behalf of a relative, friend, or
constituent. Twenty-four of the 50 elected MPs are of tribal
origin: Awazim (7),Mutran (4),Eneza (3),Ajman (3),
Rashayda (3),Otban (3),and Shammar (1). The urban-tribal
division is an important distinction in Kuwait and one with
significant political implications; tribal MPs tend to be
either Islamist or pro-Government, whereas liberals rarely
have tribal affiliations. In addition, in spite of being
30-35% of the population, there are only four Shi'a MPs in
Parliament, a fact most observers blame on divisions within
the Shi'a community. Given their diverse affiliations, MPs
are subject to a variety of competing interests, which
explains in part the complexity of Kuwaiti domestic politics.
5. (U) The following is a list of Kuwait's 50 elected MPs by
parliamentary bloc, political association, and tribal
affiliation. The list excludes Falah Al-Hajeri, a first-time
MP who was appointed Minister of Commerce and Industry in
July 2006, and the rest of the 16-member Cabinet.
"Independent" here refers to candidates not formally
affiliated with a particular political association. For a
summary of Kuwait's political associations and full bios on
all the MPs, please see our siprnet website.
Islamic Bloc
--------------
Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM):
- Dr. Duaij Al-Shammari
- Dr. Nasser Al-Sane
- Jamal Al-Kandari
- Khudair Al-Enezi (Eneza)
- Dr. Mohammed Al-Bousairi (Deputy Speaker / Ajman)
- Dr. Jaman Al-Hirbish (Eneza)
Salafi Islamic Grouping (SIG):
KUWAIT 00003826 002 OF 002
- Ahmed Baqer (Coordinator of the Islamic Bloc)
- Dr. Ali Al-Omair
Independent Islamists:
- Adel Al-Sar'awi
- Dr. Walid Al-Tabtabaei
- Dr. Faisal Al-Mislim (Otban)
- Dr. Daifallah Bou Ramya (Mutran)
- Hussein Mezyid Al-Deehani (Mutran)
- Khalid Al-Adwa (Ajman)
- Abdullah Akkash (Mutran)
- Jaber Al-Muhailbi (Awazim)
- Dr. Saad Al-Shraye (Awazim)
Popular Action Bloc
--------------
National Islamic Alliance (NIA):
- Adnan Abdul Samad (Shi'a)
- Ahmed Lari (Shi'a)
Independents:
- Ahmed Al-Saadoun (Coordinator of the Popular Action Bloc)
- Musallam Al-Barrak (Mutran)
- Mohammed Khalifa Al-Khalifa (Shammar)
- Hassan Jowhar (Shi'a)
- Marzouk Al-Hubaini (Awazim)
- Ahmed Al-Shuhoumi (Awazim)
- Abdullah Mahdi Al-Sharfan (Ajman)
National Action Bloc
--------------
Kuwait Democratic Forum (KDF):
- Faisal Al-Shaye
Independent Liberals:
- Ali Al-Rashed
- Mohammed Jassem Al-Sager
- Mishari Al-Anjari
Independents:
- Ahmed Al-Mulaifi
- Abdullah Al-Roumi
- Saleh Al-Fadhala
- Marzouq Al-Ghanem
Independent (pro-Government) Bloc
--------------
National Charter Grouping (NCG):
- Saleh Ashour (Shi'a)
Independents:
- Abdul Wahid Al-Awadi
- Jamal Al-Omar
- Waleed Al-Osaimi (Otban)
- Mizel Al-Nimran (Rashayda)
- Ali Al-Deqbasi (Rashayda)
- Mubarak Al-Khrainij (Rashayda)
- Khalah Al-Dumaithir (Eneza)
- Talal Al-Ayyar
- Saadoun Al-Otaibi (Otban)
- Ghanem Al-Mai (Awazim)
- Abdullah Raie Al-Fahma (Awazim)
Not Affiliated
--------------
- Jassem Al-Khorafi (Speaker)
- Hussein Al-Huraiti (Awazim)
- Mohammed Barrak Al-Mutair
********************************************* *
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