Current:Home > StocksKuwait’s emir dissolves parliament again, amid political gridlock in oil-rich nation-InfoLens
Kuwait’s emir dissolves parliament again, amid political gridlock in oil-rich nation
View Date:2024-12-23 10:26:27
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Kuwait’s emir again dissolved the small, oil-rich country’s parliament Friday, citing the political deadlock that has prevailed in recent years.
Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Jaber made the announcement in an address carried by state television, saying other unspecified portions of the constitution had been suspended as well. He put the suspension at “a period of no more than four years,” without elaborating.
“The unhealthy atmosphere experienced by Kuwait in previous years has encouraged the spread of corruption to reach most state facilities, and unfortunately it reached the security and economic institutions,” the 83-year-old Sheikh Meshal said. “It has even affected the justice system, which is the people sanctuary of their rights and freedom.”
He added: “I will never allow the misuse of democracy to destroy the state, because the interests of the people of Kuwait, which are above all.”
In April, Kuwait held national elections for the fourth time in as many years trying to break out of the longstanding political gridlock.
Domestic political disputes have been gripping Kuwait for years, including over changes to the welfare system,, and the impasse has prevented the sheikhdom from taking on debt. That has left it with little in its coffers to pay bloated public sector salaries despite generating immense wealth from its oil reserves.
Kuwait, a nation with some 4.2 million people that is 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 occupying Iraqi forces of Saddam Hussein. Kuwait hosts some 13,500 American military personnel as well as the forward headquarters of the U.S. Army in the Middle East.
Kuwait is alone among Gulf Arab countries in having a democratically elected parliament that exerts some checks on the ruling family, which nevertheless appoints the government and can dissolve the assembly at will.
veryGood! (532)
Related
- 'The Penguin' spoilers! Colin Farrell spills on that 'dark' finale episode
- Horoscopes Today, June 27, 2024
- Up to 125 Atlantic white-sided dolphins stranded in Cape Cod waters
- Nancy Silverton Gave Us Her No-Fail Summer Party Appetizer, Plus the Best Summer Travel Tip
- Sister Wives’ Christine Brown Shares Glimpse Into Honeymoon One Year After Marrying David Woolley
- Chet Hanks Teases Steamy Hookup With RHOA's Kim Zolciak in Surreal Life: Villa of Secrets Trailer
- Amazon is reviewing whether Perplexity AI improperly scraped online content
- Class-action lawsuit claims Omaha Housing Authority violated tenants’ rights for years
- Love Actually Secrets That Will Be Perfect to You
- Revamp Your Space with Wayfair's 4th of July Sale: Up to 86% Off Home Organization, Decor, and More
Ranking
- A growing and aging population is forcing Texas counties to seek state EMS funding
- 25-year-old Oakland firefighter drowns at San Diego beach
- Diamond Shruumz products recalled due to toxin that has stricken 39 people in 20 states
- Bolivian army leader arrested after apparent coup attempt
- Mike Tyson employs two trainers who 'work like a dream team' as Jake Paul fight nears
- NBA power rankings: How every team stacks up after draft
- Jonathan Van Ness denies 'overwhelmingly untrue' toxic workplace allegations on 'Queer Eye'
- What to know about water safety before heading to the beach or pool this summer
Recommendation
-
Love Actually Secrets That Will Be Perfect to You
-
Number of homeless residents in Los Angeles County decreases in annual count
-
Kenya protests resume as President William Ruto's tax hike concession fails to quell anger
-
Nigel Farage criticizes racist remarks by Reform UK worker. But he later called it a ‘stitch-up’
-
About Charles Hanover
-
Noah Lyles, Christian Coleman cruise into men's 200 final at Olympic track trials
-
8-year-old dies after being left in hot car by mother, North Carolina police say
-
Roseanne Actor Martin Mull Dead at 80