New Cabinet finally named
By B Izzak
KUWAIT: An Amiri decree was issued on Sunday announcing the formation of a new Cabinet, almost three months after the previous Cabinet resigned as a result of a political dispute with the National Assembly, which was scrapped by the constitutional court last month. The new 15-member Cabinet, headed by HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf Al-Sabah, retains Interior Minister Sheikh Talal Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, who is also the acting defense minister, and Oil Minister Bader Al-Mulla.
It saw the exit of six ministers, mainly the finance and commerce ministers. The lineup includes six new faces with new finance and commerce ministers, in addition to a new minister of state for Cabinet affairs, Municipality minister, justice and awqaf minister and electricity and water minister. The defense portfolio was not filled and the interior minister will continue to be acting defense minister.
Among the main changes is the appointment of newcomer Manaf Al-Hajeri as finance minister, replacing Abdulwahab Al-Rushaid, who was continuously under attack by the dissolved Assembly. The constitutional court on March 19 annulled the Sept 29, 2022 parliamentary polls, which were held after dissolving the previous Assembly elected in 2020, because the Amiri decree dissolving the Assembly was found to be not in line with the constitution.
The ruling also reinstated the 2020 Assembly. It was not immediately known what the prime minister would do after forming the Cabinet. National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem had called for holding fresh polls but only after the Cabinet takes the oath in the Assembly and after passing some laws related to the election process. So far, there has been no response from the government.
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