الكويت « ƆAL-KŪAJT »
— Officially: دولة الكويت « Daŭlaḧ ɔal-Kūajt ».
— English: Kuwait.
— Seat of government: الكويت « ɔal-Kūajt ».
— Status: Not democratic.
— Structure: Power is divided between the ruling family and their chosen امير « ɔamīr », and the National Assembly, elected in multi-member geographical constituencies, with more power to the former.
— Governing party: آل صباح « Ɔāl Sabāh ».
— Head of government: صباح الاحمد الجابر الصباح « Sabāh ɔal-Ɔahmad ɔal-Ĝābir ɔal-Sabāh », امير « ɔamīr ».
— Electoral parties: كتلة العمل الشعبي « Kutlaḧ ɔal-Camal ɔal-Šacbī »; التحالف الديمقراطي الوطني « ɔal-Tahālaf ɔal-Dīmuqrātī ɔal-Ŭatanī »; الحركة الدستورية الإسلامية « ɔal-Harakaḧ ɔal-Dustūrīaḧ ɔal-Ɔislāmīaḧ » (حدس « HaDaS »); التحالف الإسلامي السلفي « ɔal-Tahālaf ɔal-Ɔislāmī ɔal-Salafī »; التحالف الوطنية الإسلامية « ɔal-Tahālaf ɔal-Ŭatanīaḧ ɔal-Ɔislāmīaḧ »; تحالف العدالة و سلام « Tahālaf ɔal-Cadālaḧ ŭa Salām ».
— Assessment: The ruling family was reinstated after the ejection of العراق « ɔal-Cirāq » in 1991, promising liberalization which has yet to materialize. The National Assembly is elected, but both its power and its electorate are limited; the electorate is less, generally much less, than 10% of the population. Women were given equal political rights with ordinary men as of 2006, following pressure from the امير « ɔamīr » but resistance from the Assembly. Parties are technically illegal. Since 1915, power has been shared and the head of government alternated between the جابر « Ĝābir » (1915-7, 1921-50) and سليم « Salīm » (1917-21, 1950-77) branches of the ruling family. جابر الاحمد الجابر الصباح « Ĝābir ɔal-Ɔahmad ɔal-Ĝābir ɔal-Sabāh » (1977-2006) of the former was meant to be succeeded by سعد العبدالله السليم الصباح « Sacd ɔal-Cabdɔullah ɔl-Salīm ɔal-Sabāh » (2006) of the latter, but سعد « Sacd » was removed by parliament after a short nominal reign, and in any case صباح « Sabāh », who became the next امير « ɔamīr » (2006-), had been ruler de facto since 2000, both before and after his elevation to prime minister (2003-6). The Assembly has been a locus of significant political turmoil, following 2006 elections that led to significant liberal and opposition representation. Snap elections were held in 2008, after the resignation of the administration due to clashes with parliament; but the newly-elected parliament was much like its predecessor. Early elections were held again in 2009, to avoid questioning of the ruling family by parliament; the first women were elected to parliament. In early 2012, elections were held and the opposition dominated; but the constitutional court ordered the Assembly dissolved and reinstated the previous Assembly, and the opposition boycotted the replacement election at the end of the year. In 2013, the constitutional court upheld the امير « ɔamīr »’s changes to the electoral system, but ordered new elections, which were also largely boycotted by the opposition.
— FH: 5-5, partly free (not democratic). Econ: 3.78 (119), authoritarian.
— Updated: 2014 November 24.
O.T. FORD