Kuwait’s new Emir takes oath as cabinet submits resignation

• Sheikh Mishal Al Ahmad Al Sabah, Kuwait’s new emir, criticizes lawmakers.
• He called for a review of the current reality in terms of security, economy, and living conditions.
• Sheikh Mishal affirmed Kuwait’s commitments at the Gulf, regional, and international levels.

In his first official statements after being sworn in, Kuwait’s new emir, Sheikh Mishal Al Ahmad Al Sabah, expressed criticism towards lawmakers and executive authorities. He voiced concerns about actions that he believes have harmed the country and its people.

Specifically, Sheikh Mishal objected to appointments to positions that he deemed unjust and unfair, emphasizing a departure from basic principles of justice. Additionally, he raised concerns about the pardoning of certain convicts and opposition figures, as well as actions that he sees as detrimental to the Kuwaiti identity.

The emir said it was “necessary to review our current reality, especially in terms of security, the economy, and living conditions”.

Soon after he was sworn in, Kuwait’s Cabinet submitted its resignation, state news agency Kuna reported. Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah, the late emir’s son, handed the resignation to Sheikh Mishal, it added.

During his inaugural speech, Sheikh Mishal stressed “the importance of follow-up, responsible oversight, and objective accountability within the framework of the constitution and the law for negligence, dereliction, and tampering with the interests of citizens.”

Sheikh Mishal, aged 83, has affirmed that Kuwait will uphold its commitments at the Gulf, regional, and international levels. During much of his half-brother Sheikh Nawaf’s reign, Sheikh Mishal served as the de facto leader on a day-to-day basis due to Sheikh Nawaf’s health issues. The former emir, Sheikh Nawaf, passed away on Saturday.

Unprecedented rebuke of parliament:

Bader Al Saif, a professor at Kuwait University, praised Sheikh Mishal’s inaugural speech as one of the most powerful and impactful addresses delivered by a new leader.

“Most significant and unprecedented is the emir’s clear rebuke of government and parliament,” he said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Sheikh Mishal has a significant background, having spent many years in the interior ministry and serving as deputy chief of the Kuwait National Guard from 2004 to 2020.

One of his initial challenges as the new emir will be the selection of a crown prince, sparking speculation about the possibility of introducing a new generation of leaders. He has a year to make this decision, but there’s considerable attention on whether he can match the swift decision-making pace set by his predecessor within seven days.

Additionally, Sheikh Mishal will need to appoint a prime minister to form a new cabinet, a crucial move that will shape relations with the opposition-led parliament—considered the most active in the Gulf.

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