Opposition groups committed to strengthening democratic rights in Kuwait won a substantial majority over government supporters in Kuwait's first postwar parliament, according to officials returns Tuesday.
It was not clear, however, how much strength the oppositionists will be able to wield in the country's affairs. The ruling al-Sabah family ignored previous parliaments in choosing a Cabinet and dissolved the previous parliament in 1986 in a dispute over Cabinet appointments.Thirty-five government critics in Kuwait City and its suburbs won seats in the 50-member National Assembly, the Interior Ministry said.
Government supporters took the rest of the seats, winning in mostly tribal areas that have long been the turf of the ruling al-Sabah family.
Among the opposition winners in Monday's balloting were 19 Islamic candidates who campaigned on a platform of changing Kuwait's constitution to make Islamic law the sole source of legislation.
Voters interviewed at random said they had chosen candidates who would make the parliament into a strong government watch-dog.
"I expect a very strong parliament, we all know who the government people are, and 85 percent of the Kuwaiti people don't want them," said Hassan Abu Attas, a 27-year-old civil servant.