Amidst uncertainties during the electoral process prior to the final polling day, many voters of Kuwait’s 2022 national elections faced reality and surprises as changes turned the unanticipated results in the five districts. First off came the resounding victory of the third constituency candidate, former National Assembly Speaker Ahmed Al-Saadoun, as he crossed the 12,000-vote barrier, plus 16 new deputies won for the first time. In addition, 11 more candidates who were deputies in the previous parliament garnered success, as well.
Moreover, this year’s elections also witnessed for the first time the triumph of two candidates who are currently behind bars. They are the fourth constituency candidate, Representative Marzouq Al-Khalifa, who is awaiting the verdict of cassation in the Shammar sub-case, and second constituency candidate, Hamed Al-Bathali, who was arrested in the Bani Ghanem sub-case.
On the other hand, the Five Representatives bloc winners are Abdullah Al-Mudhaf and Hassan Johar, for the first constituency while Badr Al-Mulla came second, and Muhalhal Al-Mudhaf and Muhannad Al-Sayer came in second and fourth places, respectively, in the third constituency.
Also claiming a strong presence is the Islamic Constitutional Movement “Hades”, with the victory of its candidates in the first constituency, Osama Al-Shaheen, Hamad Al-Matar in the second and Abdul Aziz Al-Saqabi in the third, accounted for in the motion.
Meanwhile, a number of Shia deputies also climbed up to 9 in the 2022 assembly, after their number in the 2020 assembly was only six, as they recorded a strong presence in the first constituency by reserving four seats with the victory of Hassan Jawhar, Osama Al-Zaid, Ahmed Lari and Saleh Ashour, and a second seat for Khalil Al-Saleh, and two seats in the third victory was claimed by Jenan Boushahri and Khalil Abel, while Hani Shams won the fifth seat.
The Salafist, Hamad Al-Obaid, took the third district, and Mubarak Al-Tashah garnered the fourth. On the other hand, none of the three candidates of the Popular Action Movement “Hashd” returned triumphant. However, women candidates returned to the National Assembly to reserve two seats, through Jinan Boushahri and Alia Al-Khaled, making the rate of change in the five districts 54 percent.
