Kuwait court dissolves parliament

Kuwait's constitutional court dissolved parliament and ordered new elections. The 2009 parliament was first dissolved by the Amir in December after a dispute over corruption allegations sparked unprecedented anti-government protests. A new parliament was elected in February, with the opposition winning most of the 50 seats, only to be dissolved four months later when the Constitutional Court voided the vote and reinstated its predecessor. This dissolution was the fifth since 2006. The case has international importance because political stability in Kuwait, owner of more than six percent of global oil reserves, has traditionally depended on cooperation between the government and the elected parliament, the oldest and most powerful legislature in the Gulf Arab states.