Kuwait strips voting rights from naturalized citizens by royal decree
Emir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah signed a decree amending Kuwait's nationality law to bar naturalized citizens from voting, following years of citizenship revocations and the suspension of parliament.
Decree on naturalized citizens
Kuwait's Emir, Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, signed a decree on 23 August 2026 amending the national citizenship law to permanently strip naturalized citizens of their voting rights. The new decree inserts a specific clause into Article 7 of the nationality statute, removing the legal avenue that previously allowed naturalized individuals to cast ballots in legislative elections after 30 years of holding citizenship. Under Kuwait's existing legal framework, naturalized citizens were already prohibited from running as candidates in elections or receiving appointments to parliamentary bodies. The updated amendment formally consolidates those bans alongside the total loss of the franchise. State news agency Kuna broadcast the legal text, confirming that naturalized residents will no longer have any electoral representation or participation rights in national governance.
Those who acquired Kuwaiti nationality through naturalization shall not have the right to vote, run for office, or be appointed to any parliamentary body.
Governance changes and constitutional suspension
The electoral decree follows a series of executive measures that restructured the Gulf state's political system. The 85-year-old monarch assumed power in December 2023 following the death of his predecessor. Five months into his reign, the emir dissolved Kuwait's parliament and suspended several articles of the constitution, asserting direct executive authority over state affairs. Government officials presented these moves alongside the nationality law revisions as central components of the emir's reform program. The suspension of legislative operations halted regular parliamentary scrutiny and allowed the monarch to enact statutory amendments directly by royal decree.
- Starting threshold for retrospective nationality revocations affecting foreign women who married Kuwaitis
- Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad Al-Sabah assumes power as Kuwait's emir
- Emir dissolves parliament, suspends constitutional clauses, and launches broad citizenship revocations
- Emir Meshal signs decree barring naturalized citizens from voting or holding parliamentary posts
Mass revocations and marriage rules
Beginning in 2024, Kuwaiti authorities initiated a sweeping nationality review that stripped citizenship from tens of thousands of individuals across the country. As part of this campaign, the government eliminated naturalization through marriage, a legal mechanism that had previously applied only to foreign women marrying Kuwaiti men. The administration applied this decision retroactively, annulling the citizenship of all women who had acquired Kuwaiti nationality through marriage since 1987. Authorities also targeted dual nationals, citing the country's statutory ban on holding multiple citizenships. In addition, state investigations revoked citizenship from people and families accused of obtaining nationality through fraudulent means or forged official documentation.
Demographic impact and political motives
The nationality campaign has extended beyond administrative cases to encompass individuals who had been granted citizenship for notable contributions to society, including prominent artists. Kuwait is an oil-rich Gulf nation with a population of nearly 5 million people, of whom only roughly one-third hold Kuwaiti citizenship. Analysts cited by AFP stated that the administration's citizenship measures aim to restrict legal nationality strictly to inherited bloodlines passed down through generations. These analysts noted that narrowing citizenship reshapes Kuwaiti national identity and reduces the size of the active electorate after years of political instability between the elected parliament and the executive leadership.
