Kuwait elects parliament speaker by acclamation
The appointments come after a sit-in was staged in June by opposition MPs to demand a new premier, accusing the royal family of corruption.
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Speaker of the Kuwaiti National Assembly Ahmad Al-Saadoun
Kuwait’s National Assembly (parliament) on Tuesday elected lawmaker Ahmad Al-Saadoun as a new speaker.
According to the Kuwaiti Constitution, the assembly elects a speaker and deputy speaker until the end of its term.
Al-Saadoun, 88, held the position of speaker of the assembly in 1985, 1992, and 1996. He was elected unchallenged during Tuesday’s vote after no lawmaker contested his candidacy.
In a brief statement after his election, Al-Saadoun hoped that the coming stage would witness achievements as a result of cooperation between the executive and legislative authorities.
Earlier Tuesday, Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al Sabah attended the parliament’s opening session after last month’s parliamentary election in which opposition lawmakers secured nearly 60% of seats in the 50-seat National Assembly.
Kuwait witnessed new appointments to its parliament formation, the Ministry of Information in the Gulf country confirmed on Sunday as the Government Communication Center published the new cabinet formed of 15 ministers and ministers of state.
Bader Al-Mulla joins as the new Oil Minister in a new cabinet, Abdul Wahab Al-Rasheed is hired on as Finance Minister, and Salem Al Sabah as Foreign Minister.
Earlier this month, Kuwait's crown prince Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Saba,h who took over most of the Emir's duties, re-appointed the ruling emir's son Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al Sabah as Prime Minister in July. The election was organized after Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal dissolved the previous parliament in an attempt to end a political standoff between the government and the legislature.
It is noteworthy that the political standoff has delayed the approval of a state budget for the fiscal year 2022/2023, which has to be voted on before November, as well as other economic reforms.
Sheikh Nawaf's reappointment comes after a few opposition MPs staged an open-ended sit-in demanding a new premier in June, leading to the first parliament session after the September elections were postponed to October 18.
The opposition has regularly accused ministers from the royal family of mismanagement and corruption.
MP Ahmad Al-Saadoun was also appointed as the speaker for the 17th legislative session on Tuesday, as he expressed hope for upcoming achievements in legislative sessions. He has served as a parliament member for 10 consecutive terms starting in 1975.
