Stage set for Kuwait's second election in a year

Kuwait's ruler dissolved parliament yesterday, a step towards calling the second elections this year and ending months of political gridlock.

The move by Kuwait's Western-allied emir, announced on state-run media, followed a failed attempt last month by the government to overturn a voting district law that appeared to favour the opposition. New elections must now be held within 60 days.

Kuwait has been locked in a political limbo for months as the government, led by the ruling al-Sabah family, tried to challenge the voting system in the February elections, which gave Islamists and their allies control of the 50-seat parliament. A stopgap parliament, comprising lawmakers elected in 2009, was installed in June but did not hold any sessions.

AP