Constitution

of
Kuwait
BY :
GOKULAKRISHNAN M
1912058
 HISTORY
History of Kuwait
The Constitution of the State of Kuwait is
composed of 183 articles divided into five chapters:
[4]

• The State and the System of Government

• Fundamental Constituents of Kuwaiti Society
• Public Rights and Duties
• Powers
• General and Transitional Provisions

The constitution defines Kuwait as "a hereditary

Emirate, the succession to which shall be in the
descendants of the late Mubarak Al Sabah“
The Constitution of Kuwait is theoretically based on the modern civil state democratic
principles and combines aspects of both presidential and parliamentary systems .The
pillars of the Constitution are the sovereignty of the State, public freedom and equality
before the law.

Although granting the emir very substantial power, the constitution also provides for
some semblance of political participation by the citizens.

The system of government is defined in Article 6 as "democratic, under which

sovereignty resides in the people, the source of all powers.“

Articles 79 to 122 establish the National Assembly and lay out the rules governing its
formation, rights, and duties.
 In June 1961, following the
independence of Kuwait and
under the shadow of an Iraqi
threat, Amir Abd Allah as Salim
announced that he would
establish a constitution for
Kuwait.

 In December, elections were

held for a Constituent Assembly
, which then drafted a
constitution promulgated as
Law Number 1 on November
11, 1962.
The Head of State
Amir is the Head of the State. His person is safeguarded and inviolable.

Government
Executive power shall be vested in the Amir, the Cabinet and the Ministers in the
manner specified in the Constitution.

Legislature
In conformity with the Constitution legislative power shall be vested in the Amir
and the National Assembly.

The National Assembly shall be composed of fifty members elected by general

direct secret ballot in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Law
 The National Assembly consists of fifty elected members, who are chosen
in elections held every four years. Government ministers are also granted
membership in the parliament and can number up to sixteen excluding the
fifty elected members. According to the Constitution of Kuwait, nomination
of a new Emir or Crown Prince by the ruling Al-Sabah family has to be
approved by the National Assembly.
 If the nominee does not win the votes of the majority of the assembly, the
royal family must submit the names of three other candidates to the
National Assembly, and the Assembly must approve one of them to hold the
post
 TIMELINE

WHOLE TIMELINE OF KUWAIT’S

CONSTITUTION
• 19 June 1961: Independence
• 21 June 1961: Kuwait applies for membership in the
Arab League
• 25 June 1961: Qasim claims Kuwait for Iraq
• 30 June 1961: Kuwait requests admission to the
United Nations
• 1 July 1961: British troops land in Kuwait
• 4 July 1961: Arab League debates whether the admission
of new states (such as Kuwait) requires unanimity of
member states or a simple majority
• 7 July 1961: Soviet Union vetoes a British Security Council
resolution to "respect" Kuwaiti independence

• 20 July 1961: Kuwait admitted to the Arab League, the Iraqi

delegation walks out of the meeting in protest

• 21 July 1961: The Arab League makes preparations to

send Arab troops to Kuwait
• 30 November 1961: Kuwait applies again for United Nations membership, and
the Soviet Union vetoes the application again

• 27 March 1962: Jasim Al-Qatami, a prominent Arab nationalist, appointed

deputy minister of foreign affairs

• 11 November 1962: 1962 constitution issued

• 23 January 1963: Elections held to the first National Assembly

• 9 February 1963: Qasim overthrown and killed

• 14 May 1963: Kuwait admitted to the United Nations

• 4 October 1963: Iraqi government formally recognizes Kuwait

● The Kuwaiti constitution has been
suspended twice: in 1976 and 1986.

● In August 1976, the emir suspended four

articles of the constitution concerned with
political and the assembly itself.[1]

● In 1980, however, the suspended articles

of the constitution were reinstated along
with the National Assembly.
● In 1982 the government submitted sixteen amendments that,
among other things, would have allowed the emir to declare
martial law for an extended period and would have increased
both the size of the legislature and the length of terms of office

● In May 1983, the proposals were formally dropped after

several months of debate.
• In 1986 the constitution was again suspended, along with the National Assembly.

• As with the previous suspension, popular opposition to this move emerged; indeed, the
prodemocracy movement of 1989-90 took its name, the Constitutional Movement, from the
demand for a return to constitutional life.

• This opposition became more pronounced following the Iraqi occupation, which abrogated
all constitutional rights, and following Kuwait's return to sovereignty in 1991.

• In 1986 the constitution was again suspended, along with the National Assembly. As with
the previous suspension, popular opposition to this move emerged; indeed, the
prodemocracy movement of 1989-90 took its name, the Constitutional Movement, from the
demand for a return to constitutional life.
Religious Law

The religion of the State is Islam and Islamic Law shall be a

main source of legislation.

Kuwaiti citizens are almost entirely

Muslim, and a law passed in 1981
limits citizenship to Muslims
• Kuwait, a country of the Arabian Peninsula located in the northwestern
corner of the Persian Gulf.

• Kuwait is slightly larger in area than the

United States state of Hawaii and is bounded
to the west and north by Iraq.

• Kuwait is largely a desert, except for Al-Jahra

Oasis at the western end of Kuwait Bay.

A territory of 2200 square Miles along the gulf was shared by kuwait.
THANK YOU