The Crown Prince dissolves Parliament in Kuwait

Tensions are rising in Kuwait between Parliament and Crown Prince Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. The Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported that the parliament was dissolved today.

The background to the dispute that has been going on for months between the government and parliament over the national budget. It is not adopted now until after the next elections. Parliament has so far rejected the draft budget. Finance Minister Abdelwahab Al-Rashi announced that he would initially operate on the basis of the old budget.

In Kuwait’s hereditary constitutional monarchy, the emir appoints and dismisses the government and can also dissolve parliament. The Emir is currently Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. He largely delegated governmental duties to his half-brother, Crown Prince Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

MEPs with a relatively large influence

The ongoing political conflicts in Kuwait are hindering investments and reforms in the Arab country. In a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), members of parliament wield more influence than in many other Gulf states, even if political parties are banned.

The government and parliament recently entered into a bitter dispute over a number of issues such as the fight against corruption. The government submitted its resignation in April, for the second time in a relatively short succession. Parliament was last dissolved in 2016.