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Kuwait battles with political divides amid snap elections
The first Gulf state to adopt democracy has been stalled by years of political deadlock
Opposition candidates Ali al-Dikbassi (R) and Shuaib al-Mouzeria attend the rally
Kuwait became the first Arab monarchy in the Gulf to issue a constitution and adopt democracy a year after independence in 1962
Candidates are calling for sweeping reforms including a new constitution that would turn the oil-rich state into a full democracy
Demands range from the establishment of a Western-style, multi-party system to an elected government and a constitutional monarchy
Calls for amending the constitution have gained momentum in the past few years
The Gulf state has witnessed unprecedented political turmoil in the last few years, which has led to the resignation of seven cabinets in just over five years
Former prime minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, a nephew of the ruler, was replaced with Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Sabah, a step unprecedented in the Gulf state
Members of the ruling family currently control the premiership post, the so-called sovereign ministries of defence, interior and foreign affairs and a number of other senior positions
