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The ups and downs of parliamentary democracy in Kuwait are being used by Gulf Arab rulers to discredit the idea of representative government that dilutes their immense powers, analysts say.
A new episode in the soap opera of Kuwait’s system began last week with an attempt by parliamentarians to force out the country’s interior minister, who is a member of the ruling family.
The Sabah family is expected to remove him rather than see one of its own face a public thumbs-down in a no-confidence vote expected to come this week.
Last month the former British protectorate of 3.2 million, one of the world’s largest oil exporters, held its third elections in three years, part of a protracted tussle for power between the ruling family and elected parliamentarians.
But the trend in the Gulf, from commentary in state-dominated media to official statements, has been to cite Kuwait, unique in its wide, free vote for a parliament with teeth, as an argument for more dynastic and autocratic rule.
The violence following Iran’s recent elections has also raised Gulf fears of instability, giving another reason for no change.
Islamist and tribal deputies stand accused of holding back government development plans by voting down legislation proposed by cabinet and seeking no-confidence votes in Kuwaiti ministers.
“In recent months there was a lot of glee and schadenfreude about Kuwait’s political problems. Many articles were written about the mess that Kuwait’s democracy had got them into,” said British academic Christopher Davidson, a Gulf specialist.
Gulf countries often cite “khususiyya”, or special characteristics, to justify limiting popular participation in government and prefer to avoid the word “democracy”.
In 2006 elections to the Federal National Council of the UAE, for example, less than one percent of the country’s native population was eligible to vote.
“Our leadership does not import ready-made models that may be valid for other societies but are certainly not suitable for our society,” Dubai Ruler and UAE Vice-President Sheikh Mohammed said in an interview in April this year.
Western governments, who back the Gulf ruling families, also look askance at the sight of Islamists spoiling plans for economic liberalisation in Kuwait or the chance of gaining a say elsewhere.
“The way things go are not encouraging with development [projects] blocked by deputies. Even Kuwaitis are embarrassed about their democracy,” said a Western diplomat in Riyadh.
