Kuwaiti cabinet resigns amid new political crisis

Mar 31, 2011 |

KUWAIT CITY

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Kuwait

Kuwait's government submitted its resignation on Thursday, a minister announced, sparking a fresh political crisis in a Gulf emirate prone to such volatility over the past five years.

In a step unrelated to revolts in the Arab world, it was the sixth cabinet led by Prime Minister Nasser Mohammed al-Ahmad Al-Sabah to resign since his naming five years ago, during which time three parliaments have been dissolved.

"The Kuwaiti cabinet submitted its resignation today at an extraordinary meeting," State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Rudhan al-Rudhan told the oil-rich country's official news agency KUNA.

The move comes after MPs filed petitions to question in parliament three ministers who are senior members of Kuwait's Al-Sabah ruling family over a variety of allegations including corruption and failure to perform duty.

Liberal MPs Adel al-Saraawi and Marzouk al-Ghanem last week filed to grill Kuwait's deputy premier for economic affairs, Sheikh Ahmad Fahad al-Sabah, over allegations of corruption in contracts worth $900 million.

Earlier this week, Shiite MP Faisal al-Duwaisan filed to quiz Information and Oil Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Sabah. Another MP, Saleh Ashour, also Shiite, demanded to grill Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed Al-Sabah.

The cabinet's latest resignation also coincides with an opposition campaign for the resignation and replacement of the prime minister, a nephew of the ruling emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah.

Kuwait's last election, brought forward due to an earlier political crisis, was held in May 2009.

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