Kuwait Democratic Forum

Kuwait Democratic Forum
المنبر الديمقراطي الكويتي
AbbreviationKDF
General SecretaryAbdulhadi Al Senafi
Founded2 March 1991 (1991-03-02)
HeadquartersKuwait City
Youth wingYouth Association of Kuwait
IdeologySecularism
Arab nationalism
Political positionCentre-left
Website
https://alminbarkw.org

The Kuwait Democratic Forum (Arabic: المنبر الديمقراطي الكويتي) is a centre-left political organization founded in 1991. Members include Ahmad Al-Khatib, Abdullah Al-Naibari, and Saleh Al-Mulla .

Establishment

After the liberation of Kuwait in 1991, the Forum issued a proclamation stating the establishment of it as an issues-based organization. It was effectively a coalition where secular, leftist, and centrist organizations worked under the umbrella of the Forum, in addition to some independent politicians.[1]

Ideology

The Kuwait Democratic Forum is an Arab nationalist and Pan-Arabist organization,[2] which pursues a secular government. It claims to be working towards achieving full democracy and instilling respect for human rights and freedoms.[3] It advocates for women's political rights, electoral districting reform, and the decoupling of the Office of the Crown Prince and the Office of Prime Minister.[4] KDF is currently advocating:

  1. the reform of the electoral districting statute;
  2. the repeal of all freedom-constricting laws;
  3. the enactment of a pardoning bill for all political detainees in Kuwait;
  4. the amendment of the citizenship statute to enable judicial review over executive citizenship-stripping decisions;
  5. the call for a national convention addressing pertinent issues in Kuwait including economic, societal and political issues; and
  6. an elected government.[5]

Organizational structure

The Forum has a biennial assembly that elections the General Secretary, the Central Committee, and the organizational whip. The General Secretary appoints the secretariat that governs the organization's day-to-day operations. The Central Committee, composed of elected members and the General Secretary, develops strategies and tactics.

Current leadership

The organization's leadership for the 2022 to 2025 cycle is:

  • Abdulhadi Al-Senafi, General Secretary
  • Meshari Al Ibrahim, Deputy General Secretary
  • Mishal Al Wazzan, Secretary
  • Abdulaziz Al Tawash, Treasurer
  • Mohammed Al Hashemi
  • Fawaz Al Rukhaimi
  • Isra'a Al Ameri
  • Ali Bushehri
  • Mohammed Al Awadhi
  • Talal Al Sarraf.[6]

The Chairperson of the Central Committee is Bandar Al Khairan.[7]

Former general secretaries

  • Ali Hussain Al-Awadhi, author and businessperson
  • Bandar Al Khairan, labor movement activist
  • Yousuf Al Shaiji, businessperson
  • Amer Al Tamimi, economist and former chairperson of Kuwait Economic Society
  • Abdullah Al-Nibari, economist and Member of Parliament
  • Sami Almunayis, journalist and Member of Parliament
  • Ahmad Aldeyain, journalist and teacher

References

  1. ^ حوار يساري حول التجربة الديمقراطية الكويتية | بودكاست صوت الشعب, retrieved 2023-05-07
  2. ^ "Kuwait". Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 29 July 2010. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  3. ^ "من نحن". 2014-02-27.
  4. ^ Tetreault, Mary Ann. "Civil Society in Kuwait: Protected Spaces and Women's Rights." The Middle East Journal Spring 47.2 (1993): 275-91. JSTOR [JSTOR]. Web. <https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/4328572.pdf>.
  5. ^ "المنبر الديمقراطي: نقرر عدم المشاركة في الانتخابات البرلمانية القادمة". 2016-10-25.
  6. ^ "General Secretariat". Kuwait Democratic Forum Official Website.
  7. ^ "الأمانة العامة". 2014-03-17.
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