The emir has closed political space in Kuwait over 2024 by suspending parliament and revoking the nationality of over 10,000 Kuwaitis for various alleged violations of the country's six-decade-old Nationality Law. The government has approved a new Residency Law imposing draconian punishments on illegal residents and their suspected facilitators, despite a heavy reliance on foreign workers.
Disgruntled and sidelined branches of the ruling family will seek to exploit dissent engendered by the citizenship revocation campaign.
The increasingly repressive climate will deter foreign investors, irrespective of any direct impact on their activities.
Slow progress on workforce localisation will force tactical relaxation of some expatriate labour restrictions.
