'Women's voting right to boost Kuwaiti reforms'

Kuwaiti women, disenfranchised for more than four decades, however, will still have to wait two years to exercise their right to cast their ballots and run for public office following Monday's vote by parliament.

Next month's municipal polls will remain an all-male affair.

The next parliamentary elections are scheduled for July 2007 and women will have two years to register on voter lists.

"This is a prelude to political reform. The government is now under the international microscope and it must forge ahead with remaining reforms," Islamist MP Nasser al-Sane told AFP.

"When the government meant to, it was able to (make parliament) pass the women's rights law. Now, it must do the same with economic and political reform bills" that have been stalled for years, he said.

Former parliament speaker Ahmad al-Saadun said he hoped that giving women the franchise was just the first step in a wider modernisation process.

"It is a big step forward. I hope more steps will follow, especially redrawing constituency boundaries to prevent political money from deciding election results," he told AFP.