Kuwait opposition in strong polls showing

Islamist-dominated opposition groups and their allies secured nearly half of the Kuwaiti parliament's seats, official election results showed Sunday, raising fears of fresh political wrangling in the oil-rich Gulf state.

The opposition and its allies won 24 of the assembly's 50 seats, the electoral authority announced following Saturday's snap election called after a dispute over the hiking of petrol prices.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

The Islamist, nationalist and liberal opposition contested the election after a four-year boycott in protest over the government's amendment of the key voting system.

Around half of the opposition candidates who won seats are Islamists from a Muslim Brotherhood-linked group and Salafists.

Voters dealt a heavy blow to candidates from the outgoing parliament, with more than half of them failing to make it into the new assembly.