Kuwait seeks exit of political plight

Oil-rich Kuwait is waiting for an exit of the political plight after Amir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah accepted the cabinet's decision to step down on Monday. The cabinet's resignation, its second renunciation this year, came amid an escalation of tensions between the government and parliament. The amir asked Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad al-Ahmad al-Sabah and other cabinet members to continue their care- taking roles until a new government was formed. POSSIBLE REAPPOINTMENT OF SHEIKH NASSER The amir, who has the final say in the oil-rich Gulf Arab emirate's politics, may either dissolve the parliament and call elections, or appoint a new prime minister to form a new government. Analysts said it is likely that the amir would reappoint Sheikh Nasser, whom he fully trusts, as the new prime minister if Sheikh Nasser was willing to take the challenge. Sheikh Nasser, 71, is a senior member of the al-Sabah family, who have ruled Kuwait for more than 250 years. Since Sheikh Nasser became prime minister in 2006, the amir has dissolved the parliament and call early elections three times to end tensions between the government and parliament. Sheikh Nasser formed his seventh cabinet in May this year after the former one resigned in late March to avoid three ministers from the ruling family being grilled in the parliament. However, opposition groups have been accusing Sheikh Nasser of failing to deal with corruption and turn the country's oil wealth to economic growth. Kuwait houses the Gulf Arab region's most outspoken parliament. Lawmakers are bestowed the right to question any member of the cabinet over alleged irregularity or irresponsibility. Sheikh Nasser said in a letter to the amir that some lawmakers abused the rights and triggered public rallies which derailed the government's efforts to boost the economy. Analysts said that if Sheikh Nasser was reappointed, the confrontation between the government and parliament would not ebb. REUNITING POSTS OF CP AND PM Kuwait, whose citizens were granted cradle-to-grave welfare, managed to stave off impacts of the Arab unrest that led to the fall of leaders in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, but lingering political rifts between the government and parliament have delayed major economic reforms. "There has been deterioration in ways of governing, official administration, ideology and leadership selection since 1991 and the administration tends to leave problems unsolved," Shafeeq Al Ghabra, professor of politics at Kuwait University, told a local daily on Sunday. The posts of crown prince and prime minister were separated in 2003, a move made it easier for opposition lawmakers to challenge the prime minister and cabinet members. Amir Sheikh Sabah in 2006 appointed his brother Sheikh Nawaf al- Ahmad al-Sabah as the crown prince and his nephew Sheikh Nasser as the prime minister. Key ministerial posts such as defense, interior and foreign ministers also came from the ruling family. Analysts said there is a possibility that the amir reunite the posts of crown prince and prime minister as a short-cut solution to the endless political battle, for questioning the crown prince is a taboo in the emirate.