Kuwaiti Parliament Dissolved by Royal Decree for a Second Time

Photo: reuters

The Facts

  • Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah issued an Emiri decree on Monday that dissolved the country's parliament, which was only recently reinstated in March based on a Constitutional Court ruling after a prior dissolution last year.

  • Kuwait's state news agency reported that the cabinet submitted the decree to the Crown Prince earlier on Monday before it was approved.


The Spin

Narrative A

Kuwait, one of the more politically-open countries in the Gulf region, must maintain a delicate balance between the authority of the royal family and the elected parliament. Indeed, the country is in serious need of reforms. The constant political infighting between the royal family and government is putting the country's economic situation at risk and must be resolved.

Narrative B

Kuwait, like all the other Gulf monarchies, is an authoritarian state. Unlike the others, however, the country has a veneer of democracy that covers the ruling family's corruption, which is only hurting the country. Sheikh Meshal's interventions against the elected parliament will not lead to good results.


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