Kuwaitis elect women MPs for the first time

Kuwaitis have elected women members of parliament for the first time, it was announced yesterday.

Analysts said the election was a vote for change after combative parliaments had locked horns with the government but failed to deliver economic reform.

Four women were voted into the 50-member parliament that saw an unusually high turnover of representatives. The parliament was dissolved in March after MPs made repeated attempts to question one of the emir's nephews over the alleged misuse of public funds.