The Popular Action Bloc (Arabic: كتلة العمل الشعبي, Hashd) is a political bloc in Kuwait headed by opposition figurehead Musallam Al-Barrak. The group focuses on populist issues like housing, salary raises, and reform.
Popular Action Bloc كتلة العمل الشعبي | |
|---|---|
| Leader | Musallam Al-Barrak |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Headquarters | Kuwait City |
| Ideology | Populism[1] Nationalism[1] |
| Political position | Centre-left |
| National Assembly | 2 / 50 |
Expulsion of Shiite MPs edit
On 19 February 2008, the Popular Action Bloc expelled Shiite MPs Ahmed Lari and Adnan Zahid Abdulsamad for taking part in a ceremony eulogizing Hezbollah's slain top commander, Imad Mughniyah. The ceremony's description of the fugitive Lebanese militant – killed in a 12 February car bombing in Syria – as a hero sparked public outrage in a country that holds him responsible for hijacking a Kuwait Airways flight and killing two of its Kuwaiti passengers 20 years ago. The two lawmakers were only expelled from their bloc and remained in the legislature. After the expulsions of the two, the seven member bloc was down to five members.[2]
Election results edit
National Assembly edit
| Election | Party leader | Seats | +/– |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Ahmed Al-Sadoun | 10 / 50
|
New |
| 2003 | 5 / 50
|
 5
| |
| 2006 | 9 / 50
|
 4
| |
| 2008 | 9 / 50
|
 0
| |
| 2009 | 5 / 50
|
4
| |
| 2012 (Feb) | 11 / 50
|
6
| |
| 2022 | Musallam Al-Barrak | 0 / 50
|
11
|
| 2023 | 1 / 50
|
1
| |
| 2024 | 2 / 50
|
1
|
References edit
- ^ a b "Factbox: Kuwait's political groups". Reuters. 25 July 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
- ^ "Kuwait". International Herald Tribune. 29 March 2009. Retrieved 19 March 2012.