20 June 2024
The Emir Giveth, the Emir Taketh Away
Kuwait, a democratic outlier in a hopelessly authoritarian Gulf, is facing a constitutional crisis under its new Emir who is intolerant to his country’s never-ending political gridlocks. Over the next four years, expect a constitutional overhaul. Instead of emulating the Kais Saied model, which would scrap the entire democratic experiment, the new constitution should address the key flaws in a six-decade-old political system that has been plagued by persistent stalemates between the government and parliament. Continue reading >>
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17 May 2023
National Dialogues as Constitutional Moments
In April 2022, Egypt's President Al-Sisi announced a surprising call for a “political dialogue on national priorities during the current phase.” The announcement formed part of a broader package of reforms that the Egyptian government seemingly initiated, following years of sustained criticism over its human rights record. After a year-long wait, the National Dialogue launched on May 3, 2023. This post will explain why despite some promising features, it is unlikely to effectuate meaningful change, due to certain design flaws and the decision by its Board to preclude the possibility of constitutional change. Continue reading >>
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