V.

Government

Kuwait is a constitutional monarchy. It is governed by its 1962 constitution, which established a National Assembly that shares power with an emir. The emir suspended the constitution and parliament from 1976 to 1980 and again from 1986 to 1992, both times for loosely specified reasons. Although the emir and his family dominate the political system, there are significant elements of a parliamentary democracy. When the emir attempted to create a purely consultative national council in 1990 to replace the parliament, the opposition boycotted elections. Before the issue could be resolved, Iraq invaded. In return for unity during the invasion, the emir agreed to restore the constitution and parliament.

Native Kuwaiti citizens who are at least 21 years old have the right to vote and run for political office. Naturalized citizens are required to have lived in Kuwait for a certain period of time before they can vote or run for office. Police and military personnel are not allowed to vote.

A.

Executive

Executive power is vested in an emir. Only male descendants of Mubarak al-Sabah, the founder of Kuwait, may become emir. A cabinet of ministers assists the emir. The most important cabinet posts, such as the ministries of defense, foreign affairs, and interior, have generally remained within the Sabah family as well. Other cabinet members are typically selected from legislators and experts in the general population.

B.

Legislature

Fifty members are elected to the unicameral (one-house) National Assembly every four years. The emir selects a prime minister to lead the National Assembly, and the prime minister in turn selects the cabinet ministers. The crown prince, heir apparent to the emir, has traditionally served as prime minister. The assembly’s role in day-to-day governing is limited, but it has the exclusive right to pass laws—a field where it has often displayed independence from the government. The assembly has the authority to withdraw confidence from the cabinet or from individual ministers, but it has rarely done so. Parliamentary debates are often vigorous and members feel free to criticize the government, its policies, and each other vociferously, although the emir is never personally criticized.

C.

Judiciary

Kuwait has three courts: primary, appellate, and supreme. There are also specialized courts for administrative, military, and constitutional cases. Most Kuwaiti law is modeled after European law. Personal matters, including marriage, divorce, and inheritance, are governed by Islamic law but handled by the regular court system. The majority of judges are Kuwaiti, although the shortage of labor prompted the government to hire judges from other Arab countries.

D.

Political Groups

Formal political parties in Kuwait have no legal standing. However, the government tolerates umbrella organizations with strong ideological tendencies that air many different views. Most of these organizations are either traditional and Islamic or liberal and secular (nonreligious), and within these factions are further divisions. Many leading merchant families use the country’s chamber of commerce to play a strong political role. Even without parties, political affiliations are widely known.

E.

Defense

Kuwaiti men are required to serve two years in the armed forces beginning at the age of 18. However, exemptions are easily granted, such as for schooling, and most Kuwaitis who wish to avoid service are able to do so. Before 1990 the army had 16,000 troops, the air force 2,200, and the navy 1,800. Following the 1991 Persian Gulf War, these numbers dropped to less than half their prewar strength. The government implemented a plan to increase overall armed strength to 30,000. In 2004 army troop forces numbered 11,000, the navy totaled 2,000 members, and the Kuwaiti air force had 2,500 personnel.

F.

International Alliances

Kuwait relies heavily on international alliances. Following independence in 1961, Kuwait joined the United Nations and the Arab League. At the beginning of the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), Kuwait joined other small, oil-rich states in the region to form the Gulf Cooperation Council. In 1991, after Iraq was evicted from Kuwait, Kuwait signed a ten-year defense agreement with the United States; this agreement was renewed in 2001. Agreements were also made with some European and Arab states, although Kuwait considers the United States its chief international protector. American troops are stationed west of the capital. The number of American troops in Kuwait swelled in the lead-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which was launched from Kuwait.