This comes ahead of by-elections on March 16 for two parliamentary seats vacated by opposition MPs after a court sentenced them to prison time for a crime of which they had previously been acquitted. Kuwait is the only Gulf state with a politically active parliament, and the cross-party opposition holds a narrow majority. However, the judiciary has become increasingly aligned with the interests of executive power, particularly following the protests of 2011, in its attempts to curtail the influence of the 65-member National Assembly.
If voters choose loyalist candidates it will likely reflect a desire for stability at a time of perceived uncertainty elsewhere in the Gulf.
The opposition bloc in parliament, even if reduced to a minority, will still attempt to obstruct the government by interpellating ministers.
Legislation to replace the Constitutional Court with a more parliament-friendly body will probably fail.
