| MPs’ boycott delays swearing in of Kuwait’s new cabinet |
KUWAIT CITY Kuwait’s parliament failed to swear in a new cabinet on Tuesday after lawmakers boycotted the session, making the dissolution of the assembly likely and throwing the country into more political upheaval.
At the heart of the dispute is a ruling by a constitutional court in June which effectively dissolved a parliament dominated by opposition Islamists and reinstated its more government-friendly predecessor, elected in 2009.
Only five members of the 50-seat assembly and five ministers from the 15-member new cabinet turned up on Tuesday and National Assembly speaker Jassim Al Kharafi was forced to postpone the session.
“I will call the meeting next week and if there is a lack of quorum I will take this matter to his highness the emir to take whatever action he sees as appropriate,” Kharafi said.
Analysts expect that Kuwait’s emir, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, will have to dissolve parliament and call for new elections some time after the Holy Month of Ramadan, which ends in the second half of August. The last elections were in February.
The government encouraged MPs to skip the session so that the parliament can be dissolved, MP Salwa Al Jassar told state news agency Kuna. Opposition lawmkers had already said they would boycott the session in protest at the parliament they say is illegitimate.
The new parliament was supposed to meet for the first time on Tuesday and swear in a cabinet. The move to reinstate the old parliament infuriated Kuwaiti opposition politicians who said it had been tarnished by corruption allegations.
Political turmoil is not new to Kuwait, which has seen eight governments come and go in just six years. The infighting has held up legislation and investment.
Reuters
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