A promising Arab democratic experience

Written by: Dr. Ali Mohammed Fakhro

The Arab people in Kuwait have the right to be proud that their growing democratic system over the decades is one of the best Arab democratic systems, and that their practice of that system, despite some shortcomings, mistakes and temporary setbacks, is one of the best Arab practices.
The results of the recent elections, and the accompanying corrections of past mistakes and indications of maturity in the political and social orientations of the voters, have proven that the unjust charge launched by some enthusiasts in some circles of the West, that the Arabs are not qualified to practice democracy and accept the intellectual principles that stem from it, is an orientalist charge. Synthetic racism.
Rather, it proved more than that, as at a time when democracy is declining in some countries in the West, and at a time when many voters in the West tend to choose the right-wing populist forces that hate foreigners and call for a return to ethnic, religious, or cultural isolation, voters in Kuwait tended to Towards more Arab self-liberal ideas, and towards further distancing from demagoguery and puritanical ideas.
Nevertheless, we must await the results of these changes in the Kuwaiti electoral scene in terms of practices in the next Kuwaiti Parliament: the extent of depth and objectivity of the discussions, the extent to which legislation favors the poor, the marginalized and women and towards more democratic openness, and the extent to which adherence to national, pan-Arab and unitary commitments is made, especially with regard to the Palestinian issue. , and the extent of the contribution to rebuilding the Gulf Cooperation Council in order to achieve the interests of all its peoples, and their historical social relations, and the extent to which the Kuwaiti oil wealth is used to launch knowledge-based technological and productive development projects that contribute to the required Arab economic and civilizational advancement.
The list may seem long, difficult, and complicated, but what is important is the amount of effort, seriousness, and harmony between the parliamentary blocs and the struggling members committed to major issues. Verification will also require a conducive environment.
From this atmosphere, the extent of the intimacy of the relationship between Parliament and the government, and the extent of its commitment to the requirements of democracy in terms of flexibility, give and take, reasonable consensual solutions, and sensitivity towards the virtue of justice.
Among this atmosphere, as a top priority, is the extent to which voters follow the sayings, positions, and discussions of those who elected them, and hold them accountable for any shortcoming, or any retreat from their previous electoral promises, and remind them of the voters’ ability to punish during the upcoming future elections. This democracy will not succeed unless the voter remains interested in the general political life, in the parliamentary debates, and in communicating with the elected in a periodic, interactive manner.
Many attempts to transition to Arab democracy have faltered, for internal and external reasons, and some have begun to tire of committing to the struggle for it. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that the Kuwaiti democratic experiment succeed, which overcame internal obstacles and external conspiracies, as confirmation that the transition to a democratic political, economic and social system Just, even if it is gradual and difficult, across the entire Arab world, has become a demand that can be achieved, provided that the people do not get tired of adhering to it and fighting for its realization in the reality of Arab life. In agreement with the Gulf