The opposition and their allies took 24 seats in elections to the 50-member National Assembly. Around half of the opposition candidates reportedly belonged to groups linked to the Muslim Brotherhood or Salafists , many of whom had boycotted the previous elections in 2013 (see note). The number of members from the Shiite minority fell from eight to six. Only 20 members of the outgoing legislature were returned to the new parliament. One woman, Ms. Safaa Al-Hashem, was elected, making her the first woman in Kuwait to win three parliamentary elections. Turnout was high: Around 70 per cent of some 483,000 registered voters voted in 2016, up from 51.8% in the previous elections.

Elections were due by June 2017, but Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah dissolved the National Assembly in October 2016, stating that "security challenges " in the region could best be addressed by consulting the popular will. The early elections were held amid an economic downturn, triggered by lower oil prices. In September, the Cabinet approved economic reforms, including an increase to gasoline prices. During the election campaign, many candidates focused on policies related to health and education, and said they would oppose any austerity measures by the government.

Note:
Many Islamist and liberal candidates boycotted the 2013 elections due to a dispute over the electoral law, which they argued favoured pro-government candidates. However, some tribal groups and liberal candidates did participate in the elections.