Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: Amir SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah
• Head of Government: Prime Minister JABIR AL-MUBARAK al-Hamad al-Sabah
• Assembly: Kuwait has a unicameral National Assembly (Majlis al-Umma) with 65 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The Amir is hereditary head of state.
• Prime Minister is appointed by the monarch.
• In the National Assembly (Majlis al-Umma), 50 members are elected by plurality vote in multi-member constituencies to serve 4-year terms and 15 members are designated ex officio to serve 4-year terms.
  • Elected members come from five 10-seat districts. Previously, Kuwaitis were able to vote for 4 MPs each, but in October 2012 it was reduced to one, via an amendment to the electoral law. Each voter may now choose only 1 candidate. The 10 highest vote-winners gain seats in each district. Ex-officio members are from the Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers is appointed by the Prime Minister with the consent of the Amir.