Kuwait’s emir dissolves its parliament amid years of political gridlock

Kuwait’s emir dissolved parliament on Thursday following reports that a lawmaker insulted the ruler, marking the latest instance of parliament dissolution in the nation due to political deadlock. The state-run KUNA news agency confirmed the decree issued by the ruling emir, Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Jaber. The decision was attributed to “offensive and uncontrolled” statements made by lawmakers, although specific details were not provided. The previous day, the Cabinet reportedly declined to attend parliament proceedings after lawmakers refused to retract remarks deemed insulting to Sheikh Meshal. Kuwaiti law strictly prohibits any criticism of the emir. Domestic political disputes have been gripping Kuwait for years — including the overhaul of Kuwait’s welfare system — which prevented the sheikhdom from taking on debt. That’s left it with little in its coffers to pay bloated public sector salaries, despite generating immense wealth from its oil reserves. Parliament has been repeatedly dissolved after failing to move forward, with Kuwait’s Constitutional Court in 2023 annulling a 2022 decree overturning another such annulment. The country’s late emir then annulled that parliament again and held an election for a new parliament, which now has been annulled with Thursday’s decision. Kuwait, a nation home to some 4.2 million people that’s slightly smaller than the U.S. state of New Jersey, has the world’s sixth-largest known oil reserves. It has been a staunch U.S. ally since the 1991 Gulf War expelled the occupying Iraqi forces of Saddam Hussein. Kuwait hosts some 13,500 American troops in the country, as well as the forward headquarters of the U.S. Army in the Middle East. With inputs from agencies.