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Kuwaitis vote for new parliament Kuwaitis vote for new parliament
(about 10 hours later)
Kuwaitis are voting to elect a new national parliament for the second time in two years, after a political crisis prompted the government to resign.Kuwaitis are voting to elect a new national parliament for the second time in two years, after a political crisis prompted the government to resign.
The entire cabinet resigned in March, saying they could no longer work with MPs who "interfered" with their work.The entire cabinet resigned in March, saying they could no longer work with MPs who "interfered" with their work.
Correspondents say the election in the oil-rich Gulf state has been dominated by economic concerns such as inflation, high oil prices and a weak dollar. Economic concerns such as inflation, high oil prices and a weak dollar have dominated the election in the oil-rich Gulf state, correspondents say.
About 360,000 Kuwaitis are eligible to vote. More than half of them are women. Women candidates are hoping to enter parliament for the first time.
But expatriates, who make up the majority of Kuwait's 2.9 million population, are not allowed to vote, neither are military personnel. More than half of the 360,000 Kuwaitis eligible to vote are women.
Having won the right to vote and stand for office in 2005, they failed to win any seats in the 2006 election.
Excluded from the ballot are foreign expatriates, who make up the majority of Kuwait's 2.9-million population, and military personnel.
Turnout was said to be modest in the morning heat and dust but was expected to pick up by evening.
Polls opened at 0800 (0500 GMT) and will close 2000 (1700 GMT), with the first results expected early on Sunday morning.Polls opened at 0800 (0500 GMT) and will close 2000 (1700 GMT), with the first results expected early on Sunday morning.
Period of mourning Economic worries
A total of 275 candidates are running for the 50 seats in the National Assembly.
Twenty-seven candidates are women, who were first given the right to vote and run for public office in 2005 but failed to win any seats in the last election in 2006.
The poll instead resulted in a loose alliance of reformists and Islamists securing nearly two-thirds of the seats in parliament.
Campaigning came to a halt earlier this week with mourning for the late emir
Reformist candidates are hoping that the reduction in electoral districts from 25 to 5 will make it harder both for their rivals to buy votes and be elected by a small number of voters exclusively from their tribe or sect.
The BBC's Julia Wheeler in Dubai says that rising food and commodity prices have been at the top of the agenda for many Kuwaitis ahead of Saturday's vote.The BBC's Julia Wheeler in Dubai says that rising food and commodity prices have been at the top of the agenda for many Kuwaitis ahead of Saturday's vote.
Campaigning came to a halt earlier this week with mourning for the late emir
Kuwait may sit on 10% of the world's oil reserves - a commodity currently selling at record prices - but as a small desert state it is obliged to import most of its food, our correspondent says.Kuwait may sit on 10% of the world's oil reserves - a commodity currently selling at record prices - but as a small desert state it is obliged to import most of its food, our correspondent says.
The oil price is denominated in a weak dollar, but about a third of imports are paid for with the strong euro, affecting ordinary people on a daily basis, she adds. The oil price is denominated in a weak dollar but about a third of imports are paid for with the strong euro, affecting ordinary people on a daily basis, she adds.
Election campaigning came to a halt earlier this week with mourning for the former Emir, Sheikh Saad al-Abdullah al-Sabah, who died on Tuesday.Election campaigning came to a halt earlier this week with mourning for the former Emir, Sheikh Saad al-Abdullah al-Sabah, who died on Tuesday.
Last minute campaign rallies, traditionally held in huge tents, had to be cancelled, but the government said it was determined not to postpone the election itself. Last-minute campaign rallies, traditionally held in huge tents, had to be cancelled but the government said it was determined not to postpone the election itself.
Women's voice
A total of 275 candidates are running for the 50 seats in the National Assembly, 27 of them women.
Many in Kuwait still believe a woman's place is in the home, correspondents say.
"I'm against women in parliament - I think everybody should stay in his place," Samira al-Azm, a voter in her 50s, told Reuters news agency.
A loose alliance of reformists and Islamists secured nearly two-thirds of seats in the 2006 parliament.
Reformists are hoping that the reduction in electoral districts from 25 to five will make it harder both for their rivals to buy votes and to be elected by a small number of voters exclusively from their tribe or sect.
"I voted for a new face that was not in parliament before and whom I think has new ideas," Fatima Mubarak, a young housewife, told AFP after casting her vote.
"We are fed up with political crises which halted any achievement. We are fed up with lots of talk and no action."