Manama: Kuwait’s tenth government in six years has approved three decrees to implement a ruling by the Constitutional Court that nullified the parliamentary elections held in February, scrapped the 2012 parliament and reinstated the 2009 legislative assembly.
Gulf | Kuwait
Kuwait cabinet moves to implement court ruling
Reinstated parliament expected to convene on July 31 or August 7
- By Habib Toumi Bureau Chief
- Published: 12:25 July 25, 2012
- Image Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS
- View of Kuwait’s Parliament during the inaugural session of the National Assembly’s 14th legislative term in Kuwait City on Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Gustavo Ferrari)
The country’s highest court on June 20 ruled that the decree issued in December to dissolve the parliament and the decree to hold elections on February 2 were unconstitutional.
The decision de facto eliminated the newly voted in parliament and reinstated the legislative body that was elected in 2009.
The decision waded into deep controversy after it was resisted by lawmakers of the 2012 parliament. However, it could not be legally challenged.
The new government was formed to address an increasingly complex constitutional situation.
Holding its first session immediately after taking the oath before the Emir, the cabinet, the third to be led by Shaikh Jaber Al Mubarak Al Sabah since December, the cabinet moved to endorse a decree to scrap the decree issued in December to dissolve the parliament, a second decree to cancel the decree issued last year to call upon Kuwaitis to vote on February 2, 2012 and a third decree calling upon the 2009 assembly to convene.
However, all the decrees will have to be signed and issued by the Emir to become effective.
Jasem Al Khorafi, the parliament speaker, told Kuwaiti media that he would call for a session on July 31; he however expressed doubts that the parliament would convene for lack of quorum and added that he would thereafter call for a second session on August 7.
Should the second session be postponed for not meeting the forum, the issue would be referred to the Emir for appropriate action, he reportedly said.
A failure to hold a parliamentary session could result in the dissolution of the parliament and in calls for fresh elections.
Local media speculated that the dissolution of the 2009 parliament would be announced in mid-August and that fresh elections would be held in early October.
However, the government may also refer the election law to the constitutional court amid claims by several constitutional experts that the existing electoral law and voting system were unconstitutional.
Opposition members are reportedly not keen on involving the constitutional court and said that the debate on the status of the law and possible amendments should be confined to the parliament and the cabinet.
New government
Prime Minister Shaikh Jaber Al Mubarak Al Hamad Al Sabah
First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Shaikh Ahmad Hamoud Al Jaber Al Sabah
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Shaikh Ahmad Khalid Al Hamad Al Sabah
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Shaikh Sabah Khalid Al Hamad Al Sabah
Minister of Commerce and Industry and Minister of State for Housing Affairs Anas Khalid Al Saleh
Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs Jamal Ahmad Al Shehab
Minister of Communications and Acting Minister of Social Affairs and Labour Salem Muthiab Al Othaina
Minister of Planning and Development and Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs Rola Abdullah Dashti
Minister of Health Ali Sa’ad Al Obeidi
Minister of Electricity and Water and Minister of State for Municipal Affairs Abdul Aziz Abdul Latif Al Ebrahim
Minister of Information and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Shaikh Mohammad Abdullah Al Mubarak Al Sabah
Minister of Finance, Minister of Education and Acting Minister of Higher Education Nayef Falah Al Hajraf
Minister of Oil and Acting Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs Hani Abdul Aziz Hussain
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