Since taking over the majority of the functions previously performed by the reigning emir, Sheikh al-Ahmad al-Sabah has been working to find a solution to the impasse between the appointed administration and the elected parliament that has impeded budgetary reforms.
A number of parliamentarians have publicly attacked Sheikh Meshal’s Oct. 5 cabinet for not “representing” the outcomes of the early legislative elections in September, in which the opposition made significant gains.
The crown prince decided to postpone last week’s planned inauguration of parliament as a result. After negotiations between the prime minister and parliamentarians, the Gulf OPEC oil producer announced many changes to the cabinet on Sunday, including new oil and foreign ministries.
Sheikh Salem Abdullah al-Sabah, the new foreign minister, was once Kuwait’s ambassador to the US and Korea as well as a member of the nation’s mission to the UN.
Former member Bader al-Mulla, who was appointed oil minister, oversaw the budget committee of parliament. Kuwait, which depends significantly on oil revenue, has a supreme petroleum council that decides on oil policy.
Over the years, deadlocks between Kuwait’s administration and parliament have frequently resulted in cabinet changes and dissolutions of the legislature, impeding investment and reform.
After some opposition MPs staged a sit-in to demand a new prime minister, the crown prince initially named Sheikh Ahmad as prime minister in July. Sheikh Meshal subsequently dismissed parliament in August.
In April, Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid al-Sabah, the former prime minister, resigned before an assembly vote calling for his non-cooperation.
Parliamentary parties are not permitted in Kuwait, therefore legislators run their own campaigns and create ad hoc coalitions.
Even though the reigning emir has the last word on affairs of state, the nation still maintains one of the most democratic political systems in the Gulf.
