Kuwaitis protest after elected parliament thrown out
Source: Reuters
Kuwaitis protest after elected parliament thrown out
By Mahmoud Harby
KUWAIT | Tue Jun 26, 2012 4:46pm EDT
(Reuters) - Thousands of Kuwaitis protested on Tuesday against a court ruling that effectively dissolved a parliament dominated by opposition Islamists and reinstated the previous, more government-friendly, assembly.
They packed Erada square opposite parliament in the OPEC-oil producer and chanted "we will not surrender", after lawmakers decried the ruling as a coup against the constitution and called for protests.
"We came here to say no to the previous parliament because its members were corrupt," said Khaled al-Khalifa, 24. "They stole the people's money."
Kuwait has long prided itself on having a fully elected parliament with legislative power and lively debate - unique in a region ruled by autocrats who tolerate little dissent - but the ruling al-Sabah family maintains a firm grip on state affairs.
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http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/26/us-kuwait-protest-idUSBRE85P1FY20120626