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Kuwait Emir strips naturalized citizens of voting and election rights
Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has issued a decree-law amending the national nationality law, effectively stripping naturalized citizens of their right to vote, run for office, or be appointed to any parliamentary body.
Previously, naturalized citizens could exercise voting rights after holding nationality for 30 years. The new amendment removes this provision entirely. This legal shift follows a broader campaign initiated in 2024 by Kuwaiti authorities to review and revoke the citizenship of tens of thousands of individuals, including dual nationals and those who obtained citizenship through marriage or fraudulent means.
The reforms, which include the abolition of naturalization through marriage, are part of a wider program of state restructuring following the dissolution of Parliament and the suspension of certain constitutional provisions in late 2023 and early 2024. The measures aim to restrict citizenship primarily to those with ancestral ties to the country. Additionally, the decree introduces provisions for the electronic issuance of citizenship certificates and allows for the revocation of nationality if individuals are found to have intentionally added unregistered persons to their nationality files.
Entities
Kuwait · Kuwait News Agency · Mechaal al-Ahmad Al-Sabah · Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The decree permits the electronic issuance of Kuwaiti citizenship certificates with full legal weight. royanews.tv
- [● 4 SOURCES] Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah issued a decree-law amending the Kuwaiti Nationality Law. www.aden-city.net · www.journaldupays.com · 1001infos.net · royanews.tv
- [● 4 SOURCES] Naturalized citizens are prohibited from voting, running for election, or being appointed to any parliamentary body. www.aden-city.net · www.journaldupays.com · 1001infos.net · royanews.tv
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The decree allows for the revocation of citizenship if an individual is proven to have intentionally added unregistered persons to their nationality file. royanews.tv
- [● 3 SOURCES] Under previous laws, naturalized citizens could vote after holding nationality for 30 years. www.aden-city.net · www.journaldupays.com · royanews.tv
- [● 4 SOURCES] Since 2024, Kuwaiti authorities have conducted a campaign revoking the citizenship of tens of thousands of people. www.aden-city.net · www.journaldupays.com · 1001infos.net · royanews.tv
- [● 4 SOURCES] The new measures have abolished naturalization through marriage, which was previously available to women. www.aden-city.net · www.journaldupays.com · 1001infos.net · royanews.tv