June 1938 Kuwaiti general election
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Unofficial elections were held in Kuwait on 29 June 1938.[1] Fourteen members of a new council were elected from among 20 candidates, with Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah subsequently granting recognition to the body as the Legislative Council.
The Majlis movement began in early 1938 when a group of businessmen began calling for political reforms, including better public services and greater public participation in government.[2] In late February an activist was publicly flogged after being accused of graffiti and anti-government propaganda.[3] Despite reassurances that the accomplices he had named were not under threat of any action, several people fled to Iraq.[3] An underground movement subsequently developed and published its proposals for reform in the Iraqi Az-Zaman newspaper on 3 April.[3] After the proposals received support from other Iraqi newspapers, the sheikh wrote a letter to the Iraqi press telling them to cease interfering in Kuwaiti affairs.[3]
Due to the unrest, the British Political Agent Gerald de Gaury was authorised to suggest to the sheikh that a council be created.[3] Although the proposal was initially rejected, agitation from businessmen increased after they found out about the British advice.[3] The sheikh also faced pressure from within his family, with his cousin Crown Prince Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah reportedly providing de Gaury with a copy of an agreement between the sheikh and prominent families in which he had promised to form a council if he was elected sheikh.[3]