Voters in recent by-elections end boycott, tempt boycotting blocs
The considerable numbers of voters who took part in the recent byelections in the third electoral constituency seem to have blown off the last of ‘election boycotting locks’ as several boycotters are currently racing to hold meetings and discuss views with hopes to find a way out and reduce their political and electoral losses in the upcoming elections. In this regard, observers noticed pressure on boycotting blocs’ leaders in addressing the public once they learned that 32 percent of the voters had taken part in the recent polls.
Zain’s former CEO Saad Al-Barrak announced intentions to run for the 2017 elections and stressed that the previous decision on boycotting the elections had been a mistake. He also said that his nephew, former MP Musallam Al-Barrak intends to run the elections according to the one-vote system, if he gets the chance.
Lawyer Jasser Al-Jed’ee, one of Barrak’s lawyers who is in favor of the Constitutional Public Movement (Hashd), has called for an urgent meeting of the opposition and those who have been boycotting parliamentary elections in view of what he described as ‘sad and confusing facts and figures’. Jed’ee called for holding the meeting in an open yard to discuss running in the upcoming elections according to the one-vote system but with a motto of ‘calling for the return of the four-vote system’. He also conditioned releasing opposition leaders in prison including Barrak. This call was welcomed by many of the boycotting leaders including former lawmakers as it had been made four years ago but was strongly rejected by the ‘hawks’, while the ‘doves’ of the opposition accepted it.
Observers also noticed that the Islamic Constitutional Movement (Hadas), that had led boycotting efforts, was now promoting new slogans of ‘We will not let it go’ and ‘In response to public pressure and wishes’. In addition, observers noticed that young people had flocked to Hashd member Marzouq Al-Hebaini’s diwaniya to urge him run in the 2017 elections.
On the other hand, veteran parliamentarian Ahmed Al-Saadoun held a rally in which he exposed some of the boycotting blocs that took part in the by-elections and urged them to apologize to the Kuwaiti people.