At stake in this election:

• 50 seats in the National Assembly (Majlis al-Umma)

Description of government structure:

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

Description of electoral system:

• The Amir is the hereditary head of state.
• The 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.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Independent(s): Independents*

* Political parties are not permitted in Kuwait, though there are formal political groupings that back candidates and members of the National Assembly.

Last Parliamentary election:

• The last parliamentary election was held on July 5, 2003.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 2,389,498 (2006)
• Registered Voters: 340,248 (January 2006)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 998,019 (2006)

·         Is Kuwait a signatory to CEDAW: No

·         Has Kuwait ratified CEDAW: Yes, accession (2 September 1994) 

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 1

·         Human Development Index Position: 48 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

·         Is Kuwait a signatory to CRPD: No

·         Has Kuwait ratified CRPD: Yes, accession (22 August 2013)

·         Population with a disability: 358,424 (est.)