Government of Kuwait - Legislative Branch

Legislative Branch

The unicameral National Assembly (or Majlis al-Umma) can have up to 65 deputies. Fifty deputies are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms. Members of the cabinet also sit in the parliament as deputies. Because cabinet members need not be elected members of parliament, this means that the Prime Minister can in effect appoint up to 15 unelected members of the National Assembly. The constitution limits the size of the cabinet to 16, and at least one member of the cabinet must be an elected deputy.

Although the Emir maintains the final word on most government policies, the National Assembly plays a real role in decision making, with powers to initiate legislation, question government ministers, and express lack of confidence in individual ministers. For example, in May 1999, the Emir issued several landmark decrees dealing with women's suffrage, economic liberalization, and nationality. The National Assembly later rejected all of these decrees as a matter of principle and then reintroduced most of them as parliamentary legislation.

The Cabinet ministers, together with the PM, are excluded from voting only on one occasion: when MPs - after questioning an individual minister - vote on a motion of confidence. MPs frequently exercise their Constitutional right to question Cabinet members. Parliament's sessions and interrogation of Cabinet ministers are aired on Kuwaiti TV uncensored. MPs also have the right (so far never exercised) to question the Premier, and then table a motion of non-cooperation with the government, in which case the Emir must either dissolve Parliament or replace the Cabinet.