Kuwait gained its independence from Britain in 1961, and since that time it has been a constitutional monarchy whose ruler, called the Emir, has episodically shared some power with a National Assembly elected by adult male Kuwaitis. The National Assembly has been suspended from time to time, once in 1976 and again in 1986, showing that it is secondary in terms of power to the emir. Reopening the National Assembly became the goal of the prodemocracy Constitutionalist Movement in 1989 90. Just before the Iraqi invasion in 1990, a compromise National Council, partially elected and partially appointed and with more limited power, was convened by the Emir, and it was reconvened following the liberation of Kuwait in 1991. However, this did not placate the popular opposition, which prompted the Emir to schedule elections for October 1992 ("Kuwait: Government").
Democracy was institutionalized in Kuwait in 1921 when the nation inaugurated the consultative council. In 1937, the legislative assembly was established. After independence, the constituent assembly promulgated the constitution and then legislated laws to control ministries and government foundations and authorities; this was inaugurated in 1962. The first National Assembly was elected in 1963. Since that time, parliamentary activity has been maintained through direct universal suffrage. A new National Assembly building costing more than 25 million Kuwaiti dollars was inaugurated in 1985. During the Iraqi invasion and occupation of 1990, the building was exposed to massive damage and required extensive renovation. The National Assembly building incorporates both Islamic and local architectural design and was constructed according to the latest architectural and technical methods, with a facade designed as a streamlined canopy of 3200 square meters beautifully decorated with Arab inscriptions (Center for Research and Studies on Kuwait).
The legal system of Kuwait ...