Emir of Kuwait dissolves elected parliament

By Jumana Al Tamimi, Associate Editor
Published: March 18, 2009, 23:21


Dubai: The Emir of Kuwait finally stepped in to solve the political crisis in his country and dissolved the elected parliament Wednesday. Sources told Gulf News that the Emir, Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, has appointed the Crown Prince as the prime minister.

In a late night televised address to the nation, Shaikh Sabah regretted “practices” that ruined cooperation between legislative and executive authorities and announced the dissolution of the parliament. He called on the Kuwaiti people to elect a new House.

This new parliament, Shaikh Sabah hoped, would shoulder the responsibility of advancement and development in a spirit of cooperation between the legislative and executive authorities “which is the cornerstone for the development of any nation”, the state news agency Kuna said.


Welcome move

The appointment of the Emir’s brother, Crown Prince Shaikh
Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah as the new prime minister signals the return to a practice given up a few years ago to combine the offices of the Crown Prince and prime minister.

A top Kuwaiti source told Gulf News that he expected fresh general elections to be held in mid-May.

Meanwhile, analysts welcomed Shaikh Sabah’s stepping in to end the crisis which has plunged the country into chaos. “It is a suitable solution and a constitutional exit,” veteran Kuwaiti journalist Abdul Hamed Da’as said.

The Emir’s intervention was “necessary” to put an end to the crisis, as the democratic means were “misused”, Kuwaiti lawyer Labeed Abdal told Gulf News. “It was a clear and strong message to the three parties.”

“The MPs should follow the right ways to scrutinise the government’s performance away from personal agenda. The government should carry out its duties and react to quizzing requests as it should. Thirdly, it was a call to the people to choose their representatives,” Abdul said.

Political life in Kuwait has been paralysed more than once in the past few months as a result of the disputes between the government and the parliament over quizzing requests submitted by MPs to ministers.

Earlier yesterday, the Kuwaiti government approved a decree dissolving the parliament and for holding elections within two months, government sources were quoted by news agencies.


http://www.gulfnews.com/news/gulf/kuwait/10296218.html