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Slideshow Download our Wider Image iPad app Images of October Follow Reuters Facebook Twitter RSS YouTube Read Petraeus relationship leads to book, scandal for Broadwell 1:02am EST Israel fires warning shots at Syria over Golan shelling 7:43am EST BBC must reform or die, says Trust chairman 11:15am EST U.S. Congress created this cliff and may now plunge off it 1:08am EST Apple and HTC settle global patent battle 10 Nov 2012 Discussed 211 After Obama win, U.S. backs new U.N. arms treaty talks 171 White House race goes down to the wire 161 Obama plans ”fiscal cliff” statement as showdown looms Sponsored Links Thousands of Kuwaitis protest against voting changes Tweet Share this Email Print Related News Greek government defies protests to approve more austerity Wed, Nov 7 2012 Kuwait opposition to stage joint demonstration Sunday Wed, Nov 7 2012 Bombings rock Damascus, brother of parliament speaker killed Tue, Nov 6 2012 Lawmakers order partial re-run in Ukraine vote Tue, Nov 6 2012 Greeks strike over spending cuts before crucial vote Tue, Nov 6 2012 Analysis & Opinion Next president will face a darker world Delegitimization of Obama begins Related Topics World » Middle East Turmoil » By Sylvia Westall KUWAIT | Sun Nov 11, 2012 2:32pm EST KUWAIT (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Kuwaitis packed into a square opposite parliament on Sunday in a peaceful opposition-led rally against new voting rules. Recent demonstrations against the electoral changes, ordered by Kuwait's ruler last month ahead of a poll on December 1, have led to clashes between protesters and police as marches spread out of the areas usually designated for rallies. Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, the 83-year-old emir whose family has ruled Kuwait for more than 250 years, has said the new rules are aimed at preserving national unity. He warned last week there will be no leniency for threats to national security. Hundreds of Kuwaiti men wearing white traditional robes streamed into the square where opposition leaders gave speeches from a stage to protesters, many sitting on carpets drinking tea as others sang Kuwaiti songs. Hundreds of women dressed in black traditional robes sat in a separate area of the audience. Helicopters circled overhead and police lined the streets around the square which were clogged with traffic. "The government just wants a parliament that does everything they want," said computer security manager Abu Abdullah. "They are playing with our constitution." Fatima al-Badah, an educational supervisor, said: "The decision (to change voting rules) came from the emir. It is more accurate if this issue is discussed in parliament. Under the new system it is easier to buy votes." In a conscious echo of Arab Spring slogans used in other parts of the Arab world, some protesters chanted "The people want to bring down the decree (on voting)." Protests have toppled four Arab leaders since last year. Although Kuwait, an OPEC member and United States ally, allows more dissent than most other Gulf states, in recent weeks it has begun to emphasise the limits of its tolerance and has arrested small groups of people at the protests. Made up of Islamist, tribal and liberal lawmakers, as well as youth groups, the opposition says the new voting rules are an attempt to skew the parliamentary election in favor of pro-government candidates. Opposition politicians held a majority in the last parliament which was fraught with legislative deadlock and dissolved by a court ruling in June. LIMITS Under the new rules, each voter chooses only one candidate instead of four, a move the opposition says will prevent its candidates winning the majority they had in the last vote. They say the four-vote system better enabled candidates to form political allegiances during the election campaign by recommending supporters cast additional ballots for their allies. Tensions over the proposed changes have been building. Police used teargas and smoke bombs to disperse thousands of Kuwaitis protesting beside a motorway on November 4. In October, two demonstrations were also disbanded by police. "We have to be aware of the growing dangers in the region and must be aware that this shrapnel is falling around us," Sheikh Sabah said on Saturday in a speech marking the 50th anniversary of Kuwait's constitution, published by state news agency KUNA. He said Kuwaitis should cast their ballot as a "national duty" and called for unity. There are 397 candidates for the 50-seat parliament according to the election affairs directorate, which closed registrations on Friday. Kuwait's opposition has urged a boycott of the election to select the country's fifth parliament in six years. Some protesters are also calling for a government that is elected rather than appointed by the Al-Sabah family. Currently the emir picks the prime minister, can veto legislation and has the right to dissolve parliament. They also want to see the creation of political parties, which are currently banned, meaning lawmakers form blocs based on policy and family ties. (Editing by Stephen Powell) World Middle East Turmoil Tweet this Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/ Comments (0) Be the first to comment on reuters.com. Add yours using the box above. 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