Kuwait, only Gulf Arab nation with a powerful assembly, holds another election mired in gridlock
Voters in Kuwait are heading to the polls for a third time in as many years, with little hope of ending prolonged gridlock between the ruling family and assertive lawmakers DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Voters in Kuwait were casting ballots on Tuesday for a third time in as many years, with little hope of ending a prolonged gridlock between the ruling family and assertive lawmakers after the judiciary dissolved the legislature earlier this year. Kuwait is alone among Gulf Arab countries in having a democratically elected assembly that exerts some checks on the ruling family. But in recent years, the political system has been paralyzed by infighting and unable to enact even basic reforms. “People on the ground are not very optimistic right now about change, and that’s why you see this frustration and probably a low voter turnout and low number of people running,” said Dania Thafer, executive director at the Gulf International Forum, a Washington-based think-tank. The polls will close...