The National Assembly of Kuwait, known as the Majlis Al-Umma, is the parliament of Kuwait. Its powers are largely controlled by the prime minister, a decree reserved to members of the royal family only. The Emir dissolved the National Assembly in 1981, and restored it after the Gulf War in 1991. In 1999 his government attempted to enfranchise women, but the Assembly overrode the Emir. The debating chamber or hemicycle of the European Parliament in Brussels. ... 1981 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... C Company, 1st Battalion, The Staffordshire Regiment, 1st UK Armoured Division The Persian Gulf War was a conflict between Iraq and a coalition force of 34 nations mandated by the United Nations and led by the United States. ... 1991 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday of the Common Era, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

Suffrage is currently limited to male Kuwaiti citizens above the age of 21 whose ancestors have resided in Kuwait since 1920, and adult males who have been naturalized citzens for at least 20 years. 1920 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) Events January January 7 - Forces of Russian White admiral Kolchak surrender in Krasnoyarsk. ...

The 50-seat parliment is elected every 4 years. Currently there are 25 geographically distributed electoral districts. Every elligible citizen is entitled to two votes, though he may choose to only cast one vote. The top two candidates with the most votes in each district win parlimentary seats.

While political parties are banned in Kuwait, a number of political factions exist. The parliment is composed of different unofficial political factions in addition to independents:

• The Islamic bloc: consisiting mainly of Salafi and Muslim_Brotherhood members. The Islamic bloc is admittidly the most influencial bloc in the parliment with around 14 memebrs elected in the 2002 parlimentary elections. Their chief goal is the complete return of the Shari'a law. Bills lobbyed by the Islamic bloc include the ellimination of co-education at the university level (passed in 1998).

• The Shaabi blob: a loose coallation of independents with a focus on low to mid class issues.

• The liberal bloc: With only 5 members elected in the 2002 elections, it is the weakest faction in the parliment. The liberal bloc adopted women suffrage bill in 1999 and 2005.

A Salafi (Arabic سلفي lit. ... The Muslim Brotherhood, also called Muslim Brethren (Arabic: جميعة الإخوان المسلمين jamiat al-Ikhwan al-muslimin, literally Society of Muslim Brothers; often only الإخوان المسلمون, Ikhwan ul Muslimoon (Muslim Brothers) or simply الإخوان Ikhwan (the Brothers) is an Islamic organization with a political approach to Islam. ... In politics, the term liberal refers to: an adherent of the ideology of liberalism —an ideology espousing liberty. ...

External links

National Assembly of Kuwait (http://www.alommah.gov.kw/)