Manama: Kuwait's prime minister, facing a no-cooperation vote this week, received a boost on Sunday after two prominent lawmakers whose decision was crucial for the outcome, said that they would back him up.
MPs Khalid Al Adwa and Mohammad Al Huwaila said that they would reject the anti-prime minister motion and that their stance was based on constitutional and religious grounds.
However, neither of them detailed the reasons for their highly-anticipated position even though the opposition had great expectations they would rally to their cause.
Prime Minister Nasser Al Mohammad has come under fire from the opposition following clashes between anti-riot police and people taking part in a rally held on December 8 ostensibly to debate possible constitutional amendments.
The violent standoff resulted in a day-long grilling of the prime minister behind closed doors. Ten lawmakers filed a no-cooperation motion that the parliament will review on Wednesday and which could mean the dismissal of the government or the dissolution of the parliament.
However, the government has repeatedly said that it was confident the motion would not be endorsed and that Shaikh Nasser Al Mohammad would remain as the prime minister.
The opposition needs at least 26 votes, a simple majority of the parliament, to carry the motion and has been holding rallies and using street pressure tactics to rally support. However, the "defection" of Al Adwa and Al Huwaila has dealt their chances a strong blow and they might not be able to recover in time for the crucial vote.
