
The BBC headline on this AP photo is “It was an historic day for women in Kuwait”
From our Grasping At Straws Department comes this BBC story, “Reformist gains in Kuwaiti vote” (thanks to JE). What is a “reformist” who is also an “Islamist”? Someone who wants to end corruption by instituting the fullness of Sharia? And we are supposed to applaud that? And as for this historic day for women, it doesn’t look from the photo as if Kuwaiti women are all that liberated.
Kuwaiti reformists campaigning on an anti-corruption platform, some of them Islamists, have made strong gains in parliamentary elections.
But women, who were voting and standing for the first time, have failed to win any seats.
State media reported a high turnout in the election, in which women made up 57% of the electorate.
A push for reform in the new parliament may help women candidates at the next election, the BBC’s Julia Wheeler says.
There were 28 female candidates, out of a total of 252 candidates, standing for 50-seat parliament.
Two of the women candidates topped 1,000 votes but were beaten by their male rivals, AFP news agency reports.
The opposition reformists – many of whom are Islamists – gained four seats, taking their total number of seats in parliament to 33….
By electing reformist candidates, the voters have sent a clear message to the government that they want change in Kuwaiti society, our correspondent says….
Yes. More’s the pity.