Kuwait today approved women’s political rights, clearing the way for women to run in parliamentary elections for the first time in Kuwait’s history.

The bill was approved in a 35-23 vote in parliament with one abstention, bringing scores of women activists in the gallery to their feet in applause.

Women seemed unfazed by the fact that an article included in the bill requires any female politician or voter to abide by Islamic law making it unclear what limits this may put on women's rights.

"I am overexcited. I can’t believe this," said activist Rola Dashti, who said she would run in the next parliamentary election, in 2007. "I’m starting my campaign as of today." Ms Dashti said she was not concerned by the vague reference to Islamic law, saying it probably just meant separate polling stations and not an Islamic dress code. "They can’t impose veils on voters," she said.

The bill comes too late for women to participate in municipal elections in June. The next polls they can vote and run in will be the 2007 parliamentary elections.

Kuwait’s Cabinet had asked for the vote today in a surprise move after a number of attempts had been stymied by fundamentalist lawmakers, who successfully inserted the Islamic law article in the final bill.

Women activists have for years been pushing for their right to vote and run for parliament, but several attempts to give them political rights have over the years been defeated in the house.

Massouma al-Mubarak, a political analyst and professor at Kuwait University, said the parliament approval was long overdue. "This is the right thing to do," she said. "It is no favour from anyone." She said that any conditions put on the bill would be a violation of the constitution. "When you put conditions only for women, this is extraconstitutional." The constitution puts no conditions on anyone, she said. "No dress code, no Islamic law and no nonsense."

Although Kuwaiti women have reached high positions in oil, education and the diplomatic corps, the country’s 1962 election law limited political rights to men. With only men over 21 who are not members of the police or the military allowed to vote, just over 139,000 are registered to cast ballots out 960,000 Kuwaitis. With women over 21 voting, as stipulated under the new law, the figure could reach 339,000.

Women can now vote in all Middle Eastern nations where elections are held except Saudi Arabia. The Gulf nations of Bahrain, Qatar and Oman all have held their first elections in recent years and have allowed women to cast ballots.

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