Sheikh Meshal, the new Emir of Kuwait, who officially took over from his half-brother Sheikh Nawaf, who recently died, is tasked with bringing the country out of long-standing political paralysis and restructuring a bloated public sector that has turned Kuwait into one of the Gulf’s most sluggish regimes.
In his inaugural speech, Kuwait’s new emir criticizes parliament and the cabinet. “I have stressed in my previous speeches that there are national obligations that must be fulfilled,” the 83-year-old emperor said after taking the oath of office.
However, Kuwait’s new emir continued, “We have not noticed any change or correction” from parliament or the cabinet. Instead, the two institutions “harmed the interests of the people and the country,” he claimed.
New Emir Criticizes Parliament and Cabinet
His predecessor’s brief reign was defined by a protracted political impasse that saw parliaments dissolve and cabinet members resign.
Sheikh Meshal went on to say that official appointments and promotions “do not meet the most basic standards of justice and fairness.” He promised to freeze promotions and new appointments for three months after signing a decree on December 5 imposing a three-month pause in state hiring that may be extended.
Kuwait City Kuwait’s new emir, Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmed al-Sabah, attacked parliament and the cabinet on Wednesday as he was sworn in as the country’s 17th ruler in front of parliamentarians.
Kuwait’s new emir, Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah, gestures as he takes the oath of office as the country’s 17th ruler in front of parliamentarians.
Sheikh Meshal, who officially took over from his half-brother Sheikh Nawaf, who died on Saturday, is tasked with bringing the country out of long-standing political paralysis and restructuring a bloated public sector that has turned Kuwait into one of the Gulf’s most sluggish regimes.
His predecessor’s brief reign was defined by a protracted political impasse that saw parliaments dissolve and cabinet members resign.
Sheikh Meshal went on to say that official appointments and promotions “do not meet the most basic standards of justice and fairness.”
He promised to freeze promotions and new appointments for three months, following the passage of a decree on December 5 mandating a three-month pause in state employment that is open to the public.
“We have warned on many occasions that crises, challenges, and dangers surround us,” she stated, emphasizing “the necessity to reconsider our current reality in all its aspects.” Shortly after the address, the government resigned to enable the appointment of a new prime minister.
Kuwait, which borders Saudi Arabia and Iraq, has 7% of the world’s crude reserves. It has little debt and is one of the world’s most powerful sovereign wealth funds.
Despite a rather robust parliamentary system in place since 1962, it suffers from regular clashes between elected members and ministries installed by the ruling Al-Sabah family, which maintains a significant influence on political life.
The gridlock has kept lawmakers from adopting economic diversification reforms while recurring budget deficits and poor foreign investment have exacerbated the crisis. Sheikh Meshal’s speech was characterized as “one of the strongest first speeches given by an incoming ruler” by Bader al-Saif, a Kuwait University lecturer.
“Most significant and unprecedented is the emir’s clear rebuke of government and parliament,” he said on X, formerly Twitter, in a post.
Sheikh Meshal worked in the Interior Ministry for many years and was Deputy Chief of the Kuwait National Guard from 2004 until 2020.
Throughout his long career in Kuwait’s security and intelligence establishments, he avoided the often bitter feuds within the royal family.
