The opposition bloc slammed the government for “causing damage to society” in light of reports that hint at plans to rework the constitutionality of the state’s electoral system. These remarks were made in a statement which was also issued on the wake of the arrest of controversial political figure Mohammad Al- Juwaihel for posting insults against the Mutair tribe on Twitter.

Members of the opposition bloc, a coalition of oppositionists who controlled the majority seats in the 2012 parliament, issued their statement after holding a meeting Wednesday at the dewaniya of speaker of the annulled parliament Ahmad Al- Saadoun. The document as quoted by Al-Rai daily yesterday also hints about the oppositions’ plan to hold public seminars starting next week. “We plan to reject all destructive schemes aiming to violate the Constitution, spread sectarianism in society and tamper with the choice of people,” the bloc explained.

Meanwhile, opposition figure Dr Obaid Al-Wasmi argued that the public ‘no longer has faith in the law or [the state’s] institutions,” as he indicated that discussions about changing the current electoral system “are made to predict the public’s reactions.”

Al-Wasmi, a member in the 2012 parliament, made these statements during a seminar held by the oppositionist Popular Action Bloc recently. “The elections law is a type of regulation that is legislated in the parliament, and changing it outside the parliament’s building would be considered an act of tampering with it”, he added.

The 2012 parliament was rendered null and void by a Constitutional Court verdict in June which reinstated the 2009 parliament. The reinstated parliament was scheduled to convene last Tuesday, but a lack of quorum prevented that from taking place. Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi is set to convene a new session this Tuesday; which is widely expected to feature the same fate, after which Al-Khorafi reportedly will refer the issue to HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah to take whatever action necessary.

While the government expressed on multiple occasions that the 2009 parliament will end up being dissolved, several constitutional experts argue that the Cabinet formed last month must swear-in before a dissolution can be made constitutionally. The pro-government majority in the 2009 parliament reportedly refuse to attend a session held as a prerequisite for dissolution. The opposition bloc is vehemently opposed to the notion of reinstating a parliament that was dissolved following public pressure.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet looks to avoid falling into another constitutional dilemma by studying the constitutionality of the current electoral system which divides the state into five constituencies and enables each citizen to vote for four candidates at once. The Cabinet is expected to refer the issue to the Constitutional Court, but an actual date is yet to be determined. The opposition, on the other hand, launched a petition at the beginning of Ramadan for boycotting future elections both in nomination and voting if the current system is changed, in addition to demanding that procedures to dissolve the 2009 parliament not be prolonged. The petition is made available to the public through a number of pro-opposition dewaniyas around Kuwait, and have so far gathered ‘thousands of signatures’ according to the opposition.

In the meantime, constitutional expert and Kuwait University professor Dr Mohammad Al-Feeli told Al-Qabas daily that the Cabinet can “take its chances” of dissolving the 2009 parliament based on an urgent decree if the assembly fails to convene due to lack of quorum. The constitutional law professor further warned from “consequences as a result of the ongoing dilemma,” adding that the Cabinet will eventually find itself forced to find a mechanism to enforce the state’s general budget.