VZCZCXRO2130
RR RUEHDE
DE RUEHKU #0805 0671412
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 081412Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3378
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000805 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PI, AND DRL 
 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KWMNKDEM KU
SUBJECT:  FREEDOM AGENDA:  LIBERAL MP SAYS REDISTRICTING REQUIRED 
FOR WOMEN TO BE ELECTED TO PARLIAMENT 
 
REF:  A) Kuwait 703 
 
       B) Kuwait 656 
       C) Kuwait 636 
       D) Kuwait 601 and previous 
 
¶1.  During a March 7 seminar entitled "Electoral Constituencies and 
the Extent of their Effect on the Woman's Contribution in the 
Electoral Process," sponsored by the Kuwaiti Women's Social and 
Cultural Society, liberal Member of Parliament Ali Al-Rashed 
asserted that under the current distribution of the electoral 
constituencies, Kuwaiti women had no chance of being elected to the 
National Assembly.  Complaining that it was easy to shift votes from 
one area to another and buy votes, and noting that smaller voting 
districts sustain the personal relationships between MPs and the 
services they provide to their constituents in exchange for 
political support, Al-Rashed argued, "It would be better if we cut 
the number of the constituencies down to five as political success 
in bigger constituencies would need electoral platforms."  He 
maintained that reducing the number of electoral districts is the 
only means for women to be elected to national office.  Rector of 
Arab Open University Dr. Moudhi Al-Humoud, echoed the MPs views and 
also called for the introduction of a party system. 
 
¶2.  Professor of Political Psychology at Kuwait University, Dr. 
Kamel Farraj, explained to the audience of 80, that the fair 
distribution of electoral constituencies is the one where no sect or 
segment of society benefits more than another, where no group would 
be deprived of its political rights, and where the well-being of the 
general public is given precedence over personal interests.  He 
commented, "Among the loopholes of the current system is the 
emergence of the phenomenon of the service deputies (MPs elected 
solely for the services they provide their constituents), the 
aggravation of the phenomenon of changing residential addresses, and 
the consolidation of the phenomenon of conducting primary elections 
among sects and tribe members."  He stated that combating such 
drawbacks necessitates devising a system where constituencies become 
less in number and bigger in size.  He noted, "The electoral 
constituencies play a key role in the process of elections, in the 
selection of candidates, and in giving women a better launch pad." 
 
¶3.  Comment:  The National Assembly has set April 17 as the date for 
discussing distribution of electoral constituencies (ref  C).  While 
there is growing consensus on the need to reduce the districts from 
the current 25, debate continues on whether there should be 10 or 5 
districts and whether their boundaries should be based on 
population, geography, or demographics.  There is also consensus on 
redistricting being the key to the full political participation of 
Kuwaiti women in the 2007 parliamentary elections.  The success of 
the redistricting remains uncertain, nonetheless, the attention 
given to the matter and its impact on women's political 
participation bodes well for political reform in general.  End 
comment. 
 
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LEBARON