Kuwait's Emir makes Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid crown prince

Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah issued a decree nominating Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid al-Sabah as crown prince, the state news agency KUNA reported on Saturday.

“The Emiri decree comes into effect as of its issuance date and will be published in the Official Gazette,” KUNA added.

Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid previously served as Prime Minister from 2019 until 2022, when he resigned after facing a combative legislature as the head of successive cabinets, with opposition MPs bent on questioning him over issues including perceived corruption.

Kuwait has given its elected assembly more influence than similar bodies in other Gulf monarchies, including the power to pass and block laws, question ministers and submit no-confidence motions against senior government officials.

Before becoming a prime minister in 2019, Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid served as foreign minister for about eight years from 2011. He had also held many ministerial portfolios since 2006.

READ: Kuwait forms new government headed by Ahmad Abdullah Al-Sabah

He was born in Kuwait in 1953 and holds a B.A. in Political Science from Kuwait University in 1977.

Earlier, Kuwait formed a new cabinet headed by Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Sabah, according to a royal decree.

Emad al al-Atiqi, Anwar Ali al-Mudhaf and Abdullah Ali al-Yahya retained their posts as oil, finance and foreign ministers respectively, according to the decree from the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

Sheikh Ahmad is the emir’s nephew and was previously appointed prime minister in April.

“The Prime Minister and the ministers must implement this decree,” stated Sheikh Mishal in the decree.

The new government comes shortly after the emir dissolved parliament indefinitely on Friday, after a prolonged period of bickering between the government and the elected parliament.