Kuwait's Constitution combines the positive aspects of both presidential and parliamentary forms of government. It is based on principles of democracy - on the sovereignty of the nation, freedom of the citizen and on equality of all citizens in the eyes of the law.

Kuwait's Constitution was drafted by an elected 20-member Constituent Assembly and 11 ministers - who joined the Assembly later. On November 11, 1962, the draft constitution was approved by the then Amir, late Sheikh Abdallah Al-Salem Al-Sabah. The Constitution came into force on January 29, 1963, when the first National Assembly convened.

The Kuwaiti Constitution, comprising 183 articles is an exhaustive document. It is divided into five parts:

• The state and the system of government
• Fundamental constituents of the Kuwaiti society
• Public rights and duties
• Powers
• General and transitional provisions

Text of the Constitution (Click to view)