VZCZCXYZ0036
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKU #0891/01 0741402
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (CCY CAPTION ADDED - MSI9352 - ADA4FC39)
P 151402Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3478
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1194
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0955

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000891 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, LONDON FOR TSOU, PARIS FOR ZEYA 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y - CAPTION ADDED 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KU FREEDOM AGENDA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
SUBJECT: FREEDOM AGENDA - ELECTORAL REFORM PART I OF III: 
WHAT'S AT STAKE? 
 
REF: A. KUWAIT 656 
     ¶B. KUWAIT 636 AND PREVIOUS 
     ¶C. 05 KUWAIT 5186 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary and comment: This is the first in a series 
of three cables on electoral reform in Kuwait.  Debate over 
proposals to reduce the number of electoral constituencies, a 
key political reform, continues to dominate political 
discussion in Kuwait.  Reducing the number of constituencies 
from the current 25 would significantly decrease the 
potential for electoral and political corruption; reduce the 
influence of individuals, business interests, and the 
Government on Parliament; and force parliamentary candidates 
to campaign on more broad-based political issues rather than 
limited familial, tribal, and/or sectarian connections. 
While both political and popular support for the reform is 
growing, there is still considerable disagreement on the 
number and geographic distribution of the reduced number of 
constituencies; any redistricting would seriously impact 
electoral outcomes.  Proposals vary widely and many are 
merely intended to serve specific political interests. 
Parliament is scheduled to discuss the issue on April 17. 
Ironically, the corruption that electoral reform aims to 
limit is also the primary obstacle to its passage.  Due to 
entrenched interests, particularly in the Government, many 
may be ultimately unwilling to back a reform that will limit 
their influence in Parliament.  The outcome of the April 17 
session will indicate how serious the Government is about 
implementing this and other important reforms.  End summary 
and comment. 
 
A Long Stalled Reform 
--------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Proposals to reduce the number of electoral 
constituencies have been long stalled in Parliament with both 
the Government and parliamentarians (MPs) blaming each other 
for the delay.  In a positive development, the Government 
recently supported a parliamentary motion to set April 17 as 
the date to discuss a report that Parliament's Defense and 
Interior Affairs Committee was tasked to submit on the issue 
(ref B); however, the committee, which is composed entirely 
of MPs opposing the reform, has twice failed to meet previous 
deadlines.  The committee's report is supposed to be based on 
a new Government reduction proposal, which is still being 
drafted by a ministerial committee chaired by Minister of 
Defense and Minister of Interior Shaykh Jaber Mubarak 
Al-Sabah.  In 2004, the Government submitted two separate 
proposals to Parliament, both proposing a reduction to ten 
constituencies.  The proposals were effectively tabled, 
however, when MPs failed to agree on which proposal to 
discuss first.  Any further delay beyond the April 17 date is 
likely to make passage of the reform before the 2007 
parliamentary elections highly unlikely. 
 
Why Electoral Reform Matters 
---------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) A reduction in the number of electoral 
constituencies from the current 25 would significantly 
decrease the potential for electoral and political 
corruption.  Under the current system, each constituency 
averages 5,500 registered voters with each voter being able 
to vote for two candidates; the electoral system is single 
round, first-two-past the post.  In the 2003 elections, the 
top two candidates averaged 1927 and 1628 votes, 
respectively; two MPs were elected by a margin of only three 
votes (ref C).  With so few voters per constituency, the 
potential for corruption is very high and candidates often 
win or lose elections based on only several hundred votes. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) An additional drawback to the 25 constituency 
system is that it encourages MPs to run on familial, tribal, 
and/or sectarian connections.  In many cases, the candidates 
who are elected are those that can obtain the most favors for 
their constituents, leading to the rise of a group of MPs 
commonly called "service deputies."  Fewer constituencies 
with more voters per constituency would theoretically force 
candidates to campaign on more broad based political 
platforms, increasing the influence of political 
associations, particularly the Islamists.  (Note: Political 
parties are not officially recognized by the Government.  End 
note.) 
 
Same Problem, Different Solutions 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) While support for the reform seems to be growing, 
 
 
there is still considerable disagreement on the number and 
geographic distribution of the reduced number of 
constituencies.  According to a recent survey conducted by 
the Arabic-daily Al-Qabas, the majority of those surveyed, 
55%, supported a reduction to five constituencies.  Thirty 
percent supported ten constituencies and 15% supported 
maintaining the current 25.  Proposals vary widely, ranging 
from ten constituencies to one, with each dividing 
constituencies differently, leading many to accuse MPs of 
attempting to gerrymander the new districts in their favor. 
Another unresolved issue is the number of candidates each 
voter could vote for in the larger constituencies.  Some 
plans propose reducing the number of constituencies, but 
continuing to allow voters to vote for just two candidates, a 
proposal that would offer little improvement over the current 
electoral system. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) During a March 15 meeting with Poloff, Vice 
President of Research at Kuwait University Dr. Jassem 
Mohammed Karam, who wrote his PhD thesis on Kuwait's 
electoral system, reviewed a recent report he wrote for the 
Council of Ministers, in which he analyzed the reduction 
plans proposed by MPs and concluded by advising the 
Government to support five constituencies.  In his view, the 
MPs' proposals were "biased": constituencies were divided to 
benefit their own political interests.  He was similarly 
critical of the two previous Government proposals, which he 
claimed were "invalid." 
 
¶7.  (SBU) In his report, Karam advised the Government to 
support five constituencies divided on the following five 
criteria: (1) preventing gerrymandering; (2) maintaining, "as 
much as possible," demographic consistency; (3) minimizing 
sectarian and tribal distribution; (4) reducing the divide 
between urban and rural constituencies; and (5) ensuring all 
segments of Kuwaiti society obtain representation in 
Parliament.  Karam also proposed voters be given four votes 
each, which he believed would limit tribal and/or sectarian 
majorities in certain constituencies from monopolizing 
elections and lead to more equal representation in 
Parliament.  While stressing that electoral reform was not a 
panacea for Kuwait's political problems, Karam noted that it 
would significantly reduce the electoral "anomalies and 
loopholes" that contribute to political corruption. 
 
¶8. (U) Part II of this series will examine who supports and 
who opposes the reduction. 
 
********************************************* * 
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