Rights
The Gulf's strongest parliament, repeatedly suspended
The 1962 Constitution creates the most powerful elected legislature in the Gulf, with real power over legislation and ministers. The Emir has dissolved it repeatedly, and suspended it in 2024.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — Constitutional Court has exclusive jurisdiction over constitutionality and election disputes. Court of Cassation is the highest ordinary court.
Governing law
- Constitution of Kuwait 1962
- Law 14 of 1973 on the Constitutional Court
In practice
The National Assembly's powers of interpellation and no-confidence in individual ministers are real and have been used, which distinguishes Kuwait sharply from its neighbours and explains the recurring cycle of confrontation and dissolution. In May 2024 the Emir dissolved the Assembly and suspended several constitutional articles for up to four years, which is the most significant constitutional event in decades and means any description of Kuwait as a functioning parliamentary emirate needs to be dated. The Constitutional Court has a record of genuine independence, including annulling elections and striking down legislation.