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Viewing cable 06KUWAIT1570, FREEDOM AGENDA: PARLIAMENT LEADERS DISCUSS

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06KUWAIT1570 2006-05-05 10:24 2011-08-30 01:44 CONFIDENTIAL Embassy Kuwait
VZCZCXRO5140
PP RUEHDE
DE RUEHKU #1570/01 1251024
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 051024Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4281
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 001570 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, LONDON FOR TSOU, PARIS FOR ZEYA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/03/2016 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KU FREEDOM AGENDA
SUBJECT: FREEDOM AGENDA: PARLIAMENT LEADERS DISCUSS 
ELECTORAL DISTRICT REFORMS WITH AMBASSADOR, CABINET STILL 
DIVIDED 
 
REF: KUWAIT 1317 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1.  (C) Summary: In a May 2 meeting, the Cabinet failed to 
agree on whether to support a reduction in the number of 
electoral constituencies from 25 to ten or five. 
Parliamentary debate on the issue, scheduled for May 15, 
could be postponed if the Government's proposal is further 
delayed.  National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi, Deputy 
National Assembly Speaker Mishari Al-Anjari, and Chairman of 
the Foreign Affairs Committee Mohammed Jassem Al-Sager shared 
their views on reduction proposals and the May 15 session 
during separate meetings on May 3 with the Ambassador. 
Al-Anjari characterized the debate as "a battle between 
corruption and reform," and argued that Ministers opposing 
the reform would do everything they could to block its 
implementation.  Al-Sager said, "There is no way to proceed 
with democracy (in Kuwait) without electoral reform."  He 
agreed with Al-Anjari that powerful Ministers opposed the 
reform for fear of losing power to Parliament.  Al-Khorafi 
believed the Government would ultimately back ten 
constituencies and predicted the May 15 session would be 
delayed.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (SBU) In a five hour meeting on May 2, the Cabinet failed 
to agree on a proposal to reduce the number of electoral 
constituencies from the current 25.  Debate centered over 
whether to support five or ten constituencies.  According to 
many contacts and local media reports, Energy Minister Shaykh 
Ahmed Al-Fahd Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of 
State for National Assembly Affairs/Cabinet Affairs Mohammed 
Sharar, Commerce Minister Yousef Al-Zalzalah, and "one or two 
other Ministers" support ten constituencies, while the other 
Ministers support five. 
 
3.  (SBU) The National Assembly is scheduled to debate the 
issue on May 15 (reftel), however, this could be postponed if 
the Government does not submit its proposal in time. 
Supporters of the reform argue the reduction would 
dramatically reduce corrupt electoral practices rumored to be 
widespread.  Local political associations, NGOs, and many of 
the 29 members of Parliament (MPs) who openly support the 
reform have been organizing almost nightly rallies in favor 
of a reduction; most support five constituencies.  The 
Cabinet is scheduled to debate the issue again during an 
extraordinary session on May 5. 
 
"A Battle Between Corruption and Reform" 
---------------------------------------- 
 
4.  (C) The Ambassador met separately May 3 with National 
Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi, Deputy National Assembly 
Speaker Mishari Al-Anjari, and Chairman of the Foreign 
Affairs Committee Mohammed Jassem Al-Sager to hear their 
views on electoral reform and their predictions for the May 
15 session.  Al-Anjari characterized the debate over the 
reduction as "a battle between corruption and reform."  He 
claimed Shaykh Ahmed, Sharar, and Al-Zalzalah only supported 
ten constituencies as a "tactic" to block any reduction 
proposal from being passed.  "Even if the Government has good 
intentions on May 15," the three Ministers would do 
everything they could to block the reform, Al-Anjari argued. 
"If the reform is not passed, the Amir will lose the 
confidence of the entire Parliament," he concluded. 
 
5.  (C) Al-Sager, who like Al-Anjari supports five 
constituencies, argued that the two most important political 
reforms in Kuwait were reducing the number of electoral 
constituencies and permitting the formation of political 
parties.  Highlighting widespread Government/Parliament 
corruption, he stressed that there was "no way to proceed 
with democracy (in Kuwait) without electoral reform.  It is 
no longer a matter of convincing, it is a matter of wanting 
reform or not."  He claimed those opposing the reform, whom 
he called "The Corrupted," were "telling the ruling family 
that if five constituencies were adopted, they would have to 
deal with a strong National Assembly, more powerful liberals 
and Islamists, and the possibility of a non-Al-Sabah Prime 
Minister being appointed."  He said "they" were also afraid 
of losing influence in the National Assembly.  Both Al-Sager 
and Al-Anjari said Al-Khorafi also opposed the reform, 
despite his public support for ten constituencies. 
 
Ten a Legitimate Reform? 
------------------------ 
 
6.  (C) Although he believed the fewer constituencies the 
better, Al-Anjari argued that  ten would be better than the 
 
KUWAIT 00001570  002 OF 002 
 
 
current 25, and that further reduction could be achieved over 
time.  He cautioned, however, that with ten constituencies 
there would be more dispute over gerrymandering.  Al-Sager 
also said ten constituencies would be better than 25, but 
warned that "after four years it will be much worse" due to 
representational inequities between the ten districts.  He 
said one constituency would be best, but believed there was 
"no chance" this would be adopted. 
 
Skepticism about May 15 Session 
------------------------------- 
 
7.  (C) Al-Khorafi believed the Cabinet would ultimately 
agree to support ten constituencies.  He noted, though, that 
there would still be disagreement over the geographic 
distribution of the larger constituencies, indicating the 
issue could be further delayed.  Al-Khorafi said he supported 
ten constituencies because under a five constituency system 
tribes and sectarian groups would be forced to hold election 
primaries to choose a candidate(s) to represent them.  He 
added that to jump from 25 to five would "leave a large 
question mark" on electoral outcomes, particularly given the 
uncertain impact of women voting.  (Note: Women were given 
full political rights in May 2005.  They will vote in 
national elections for the first time in 2007.  End note.) 
The Speaker predicted on May 15 the Government would support 
a motion to further delay parliamentary debate of the issue. 
He concluded, though, that if the electoral system was not 
changed before the 2007 parliamentary elections, it would be 
very difficult to change afterwards.  Al-Khorafi also noted a 
proposal being floated to expand the parliament to sixty 
members, requiring a constitutional change, in order to 
simplify reduction of the number of districts.  He noted 
hesitation, however, to open up the constitution, since this 
could lead to other, unrelated demands for changes in the 
constitution. 
 
8.  (C) Many contacts are skeptical the reform will be passed 
on May 15.  Dr. Ahmed Al-Baghdadi, a liberal columnist and 
former political science professor, told Poloff May 1 that 
"corruption is an institution in Kuwait."  He did not believe 
the Government was serious about the reduction, noting that 
it would lose influence in Parliament if the reform was 
implemented.  Dr. Ali Al-Zo'bi, an expert on Kuwait's 
electoral system, told Poloff in a separate meeting on May 1 
that nothing would happen on May 15.  "The Government is not 
serious about the reduction," he explained.  Former Shi'a MP 
Dr. Yacoub Al-Hayati told Poloff May 2 that since the 
Government and the National Assembly were "very corrupt," for 
them to debate electoral reform was a "conflict of 
interests."  "It is like they are declaring a war on 
themselves," he explained.  Al-Hayati also predicted the 
National Assembly would not pass a reduction proposal on May 
15. 
 
9. (C) COMMENT: While skepticism about the outcome of the 
debate is understandable, we have been struck by the very 
active discussion of this issue and the widespread public 
demand for reform. The government will play a credibility 
price if it ducks this reform again. 
 
********************************************* * 
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