Political turmoil in Kuwait; Emir dissolves parliament
A few weeks after the Gulf nation held elections, state media reported that the emir had dissolved the parliament and assumed some of its responsibilities.
In a speech broadcast on state television on Friday, Emir Sheikh Mishal al-Ahmad al-Sabah declared that the royally appointed government will take on some of the powers of the National Assembly’s 50 members’.
In addition, he suspended some unspecified articles of the constitution for “a period of no more than four years.”
Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh al-Sabah announces he is dissolving parliament & suspending parts of the Constitution for up to 4 years to save democracy due to rising influence of radical islamism.pic.twitter.com/7LTp2f1vxZ
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) May 11, 2024
The 83-year-old Sheikh Meshal voiced worries about how Kuwait’s political climate was negatively affecting the country and how prevalent corruption was permeating the state’s institutions, including the judicial, economic, and security sectors. He emphasized that the welfare of the Kuwaiti people came first and that he would do everything in his power to protect their interests.
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“The unhealthy atmosphere experienced by Kuwait in previous years has encouraged the spread of corruption to reach most state facilities, and unfortunately it reached the security and economic institutions,” the 83-year-old ruler said, adding that “it has even affected the justice system”.
The April polls marked Sheikh Mishal’s first election since he took office in December of previous year, following the passing of his predecessor and half-brother, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah.
Kuwait, which has a population of about 4.2 million and is ranked sixth in the world for oil reserves, has been closely aligned with the United States ever since the Gulf War of 1991. There are about 13,500 American military personnel stationed there, and the U.S. Army’s regional headquarters is located there as well.
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Kuwait’s democratic styled setup
Among the Gulf Arab governments, Kuwait is notable for having a democratically elected parliament that exercises some control over the royal family. However, the ruling family is still able to name the government and call for the assembly’s dissolution as needed.
The only nation in the Middle East where democracy has solidly taken root and is thriving is Israel. For the remaining nations, many of which frequently meddle in the domestic affairs of other nations, including democracies, the dominant systems are totalitarianism or the Islamic monarchy.
Mishal disbanded the National Assembly on February 15, 2024, after growing hostilities between the fledgling government and lawmakers. This led to a national impasse that was made worse by the use of derogatory and improper language.
