Abu Dhabi // Populist rhetoric has long been prevalent in Kuwait’s parliament, but public frustration over economic reforms and the return of an empowered opposition to the Gulf’s most independent legislature have set the stage for increasingly strident politics targeting expat residents.
The opposition is a mixed bag ranging from Muslim Brotherhood Islamists to ultraconservative Salafis to nationalists, leftists and liberals, with a smattering of young first-time members. But they all appear to agree that public services are deteriorating and it is the fault of expats who are a drain on the state’s resources. Rather than economic reform such as subsidy cuts, the country needs to get rid of them – or at least reduce their numbers and give their jobs to Kuwaitis.
And since the elections in November, the opposition occupy nearly half of the 50 seats in the National Assembly, while most of the pro-government incumbents were voted out.
The election took place six months ahead of schedule because the emir, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, dissolved parliament in the face of staunch opposition to unpopular cuts in subsidies for fuel and electricity following a drastic fall in oil prices over the past two years. Kuwait’s ruler or its constitutional court have now dissolved the assembly nine times since 1976.
Having boycotted the previous two elections since 2012, this time the opposition read the public mood and participated, campaigning largely on pledges to resist cuts to the cradle-to-grave benefits that Kuwaitis have enjoyed for decades. A key component in the 70 per cent voter turnout were the middle class, from less powerful tribes who are more reliant on government jobs, subsidies, cheap loans, free education and housing.
“All those young Kuwaitis waiting to be hired in the public sector should immediately take over the jobs of expats,” said one opposition candidate, Ali Al Khamis, during the election campaign.
“This is where a lot of the sentiment of ‘don’t give our jobs away to expats’ is coming from,” said Courtney Freer, a researcher at the London School of Economics Kuwait Programme. “There is a lot of derogatory language because expats are sometimes seen as a drain on increasingly limited state resources, rather than as aiding state development.”
Opposition members want the labour law to be amended, raising the minimum wage for expats, and also taxing them on the remittances they send home, all to discourage the hiring of foreigners for all but the most highly-skilled jobs.
One Salafi MP went so far as to call expats “settlers”.
Among the more imaginative suggestions is to tax expats 100 fils for walking on roads and pavements, as part of a broader plan to make taxation so onerous that foreigners would stop coming to work in Kuwait – an idea proposed by Safa Al Hashem, the only woman MP and a liberal. She believes the country has reached “danger level” with its population ratio, and that Kuwait no longer needs foreigners, most of whom should be deported.
“Kuwait is unique in the Gulf as the parliament can serve as a real vehicle for populist politics, where citizens can defend their entitlements,” said Kristin Diwan Smith, an expert on Kuwaiti politics and economy at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. “This means necessary increases in fees and cuts in subsidies get thrown on to the backs of non-citizens. Failures in government, especially the inability to expand public services for a growing population, escalate the competition over resources.”
Kuwait’s budget deficit for 2015-2016 – the first in its history – was US$15billion (Dh55bn), and a deficit of as much as $40bn is projected for this year, according to a recent report by the US Congressional Research Service. With oil prices not expected to reach Kuwait’s break-even price of $75 per barrel, there is no sustainable way to avoid reductions in public sector salaries and subsidies.
The previous, pro-government parliament also sought to blame migrant workers for unemployment, overburdened public services and fraying infrastructure. Non-citizens have already seen an increase in costs for mandatory health insurance and will have to use separate medical facilities. The government plans to reduce the proportion of expats from 70 per cent of the 4.4 million population to 60 per cent by 2030, although opposition MPs have demanded this be achieved much sooner, even as quickly as three years. The government also plans to impose new taxes expats and increase fees for services.
Parliament was to hold a special session this month to discuss reducing the expat population, but fell short of a quorum by two members. Some observers say that on issues such as subsidy reform, the opposition could muster a simple majority.
Despite the new parliament’s mandate, the observers saw little to suggest that its confrontation with the cabinet over austerity measures would lead to a different outcome than with previous parliaments, which were dissolved by the emir once tensions reached unacceptable levels, or on legal grounds by the constitutional court.
In the current context, though, the next parliament is unlikely to take a softer position on these questions.
Kuwait’s assembly reflects the citizenry to a greater degree than in other GCC countries, and provides a unique window into the dynamics within Gulf societies as they wrestle, to varying degrees, with the challenge of how to reconcile deep changes to the economy wrought by low oil prices without upending the existing political order.
“Nationals’ frustration with expats is something we don’t hear much about in the Gulf simply because there’s not much of an outlet for it other than Twitter,” Ms Freer added. “Because Kuwait has an institutionalised place for these arguments to be made, we’re understanding a bit more of what’s going on.”
tkhan@thenational.ae
Company%20Profile
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Company profile
Company name: Nestrom
Started: 2017
Co-founders: Yousef Wadi, Kanaan Manasrah and Shadi Shalabi
Based: Jordan
Sector: Technology
Initial investment: Close to $100,000
Investors: Propeller, 500 Startups, Wamda Capital, Agrimatico, Techstars and some angel investors
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
SPECS
Toyota land Cruiser 2020 5.7L VXR
Engine: 5.7-litre V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 362hp
Torque: 530Nm
Price: Dh329,000 (base model 4.0L EXR Dh215,900)
Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
THE SPECS
Jaguar F-Pace SVR
Engine: 5-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 680Nm
Price: Dh465,071
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
Tips%20for%20holiday%20homeowners
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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A%20QUIET%20PLACE
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Company%20Profile
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The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
UAE SQUAD FOR ASIAN JIU-JITSU CHAMPIONSHIP
Men’s squad: Faisal Al Ketbi, Omar Al Fadhli, Zayed Al Kathiri, Thiab Al Nuaimi, Khaled Al Shehhi, Mohamed Ali Al Suwaidi, Farraj Khaled Al Awlaqi, Muhammad Al Ameri, Mahdi Al Awlaqi, Saeed Al Qubaisi, Abdullah Al Qubaisi and Hazaa Farhan
Women's squad: Hamda Al Shekheili, Shouq Al Dhanhani, Balqis Abdullah, Sharifa Al Namani, Asma Al Hosani, Maitha Sultan, Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Maha Al Hanaei, Shamma Al Kalbani, Haya Al Jahuri, Mahra Mahfouz, Marwa Al Hosani, Tasneem Al Jahoori and Maryam Al Amri
Abaya trends
The utilitarian robe held dear by Arab women is undergoing a change that reveals it as an elegant and graceful garment available in a range of colours and fabrics, while retaining its traditional appeal.
Top financial tips for graduates
Araminta Robertson, of the Financially Mint blog, shares her financial advice for university leavers:
1. Build digital or technical skills: After graduation, people can find it extremely hard to find jobs. From programming to digital marketing, your early twenties are for building skills. Future employers will want people with tech skills.
2. Side hustle: At 16, I lived in a village and started teaching online, as well as doing work as a virtual assistant and marketer. There are six skills you can use online: translation; teaching; programming; digital marketing; design and writing. If you master two, you’ll always be able to make money.
3. Networking: Knowing how to make connections is extremely useful. Use LinkedIn to find people who have the job you want, connect and ask to meet for coffee. Ask how they did it and if they know anyone who can help you. I secured quite a few clients this way.
4. Pay yourself first: The minute you receive any income, put about 15 per cent aside into a savings account you won’t touch, to go towards your emergency fund or to start investing. I do 20 per cent. It helped me start saving immediately.
FULL%20FIGHT%20CARD
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
The biogs
Name: Zinah Madi
Occupation: Co-founder of Dots and links
Nationality: Syrian
Family: Married, Mother of Tala, 18, Sharif, 14, Kareem, 2
Favourite Quote: “There is only one way to succeed in anything, and that is to give it everything.”
Name: Razan Nabulsi
Occupation: Co-founder of Dots and Links
Nationality: Jordanian
Family: Married, Mother of Yahya, 3.5
Favourite Quote: A Chinese proverb that says: “Be not afraid of moving slowly, be afraid only of standing still.”
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 3 (Kroos 4', Ramos 30', Marcelo 37')
Eibar 1 (Bigas 60')
Tips to avoid getting scammed
1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday
2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment
3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone
4) Try not to close the sale at night
5) Don't be rushed into a sale
6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour