Political motives behind the dissolution of the kuwaiti parliament: from its establishment to the post–arab spring era

Kuwait is one of the few Gulf states that regularly holds parliamentary elections. Nevertheless, the Emir has frequently dissolved the National Assembly before the completion of its term. Between 1976 and 2009, parliament was dissolved six times an average of once every 5.5 years. From 2010 to 2020, it was dissolved four additional times, including twice by the Supreme Constitutional Court, averaging once every three years. Resorting to dissolution as a means of resolving tensions between the legislative and executive branches creates a broader problem: it generates legislative vacuums, destabilizes governance, and disrupts the state’s ability to enact laws and provide essential services. This recurring cycle raises important questions about the underlying motives for such frequent dissolutions and the adequacy of constitutional safeguards meant to ensure that dissolution remains a last resort.

This study examines all dissolution decrees issued since the establishment of the Kuwaiti Parliament, analyzing them within their political context and comparing them with similar decrees issued in the period following the Arab Spring a period that significantly influenced Kuwait as it did neighboring states. The research concludes that appeals to national unity and the need to prevent division and discord were the dominant political justifications for dissolving the legislative council, both before and after the Arab Spring.