GOVERNMENT
Kuwait is a constitutional, hereditary emirate ruled by princes (Amirs) who have been drawn from the Al Sabah family since the middle of the 18th century. The 1962 constitution provides for an elected National Assembly and details the powers of the branches of government and the rights of citizens. Under the Constitution, the National Assembly has a limited role in approving the Amir's choice of the Crown Prince, who succeeds the Amir upon his death. If the National Assembly rejects his nominee, the Amir then submits three names of qualified candidates from among the direct descendants of Mubarak the Great, the founder of modern Kuwait, from which the Assembly must choose the new Crown Prince. Successions have been orderly since independence. In January 2006, the National Assembly played a symbolically important role in the succession process, which was seen as an assertion of parliament's constitutional powers.
For almost 40 years, the Amir appointed the Crown Prince as Kuwait's Prime Minister. However, in July 2003, the Amir formally separated the two positions and appointed a different ruling family member as Prime Minister.
Kuwait's first National Assembly was elected in 1963, with follow-on elections held in 1967, 1971, and 1975. From 1976 to 1981, the National Assembly was suspended. Following elections in 1981 and 1985, the National Assembly was again dissolved. Fulfilling a promise made during the period of Iraqi occupation, the Amir held new elections for the National Assembly in 1992. In May 1999 and once again in May 2006, the Amir dissolved the National Assembly, but complied with the constitution by holding new elections within 60 days. In the wake of a collective resignation of the members of the cabinet, the Amir dissolved the National Assembly again in March 2008. The most recent general election, held in May 2008, was considered free and fair. Women participated for the second time as voters and candidates. Women candidates fared well compared to the 2006 elections but failed to win any seats in the National Assembly. The 2008 parliamentary election was the first under a new five-constituency system. Observers noted that the outcomes of these elections reflected gains for tribal and sectarian influences. The government does not officially recognize political parties; however, de facto political blocs, typically organized along ideological lines, exist and are active in the National Assembly. Although the Amir maintains the final word on most government policies, the National Assembly plays a real role in decision-making, with powers to initiate legislation, question ("grill") cabinet ministers, and express lack of confidence in individual ministers. For example, in May 1999, the Amir issued several landmark decrees dealing with women's suffrage, economic liberalization, and nationality. The National Assembly later rejected all of these decrees as a matter of principle and then reintroduced most of them as parliamentary legislation. In July 2005, the Prime Minister appointed Kuwait's first female minister, Masouma Al-Mubarak, as Planning Minister and Minister of State for Administrative Development Affairs, and later as Minister of Health. Following the March 2007 resignation of the cabinet, Masouma was joined by a second woman, Nouriya Subih, who was named Minister of Education in the new cabinet. Masouma resigned from her post in August 2007, but in May 2008 Nouriya Subih was joined by another woman in the cabinet, Moudhi Abdulaziz Al-Houmoud, who became Minister of State for Housing Affairs and Minister of State for Development Affairs.
Principal
Government Officials
Amir--His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
Crown Prince--His Highness Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
Prime Minister--His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah
First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and Minister of Interior--Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs--Dr. Ismail Al-Shatti
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister--Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Sabah Al-Salim Al-Sabah
National Assembly Speaker--Jassem Al-Khorafi
Ambassador to the United States--Sheikh Salim Al-Abdullah Al-Jaber Al Sabah
Permanent Representative to the United Nations--Ambassador Abdullah Al-Murad
Kuwait
maintains an embassy
in the United States at 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC
20008 (tel. [1] (202)-966-0702).
Type:
Constitutional hereditary emirate.
Independence: June 19, 1961 (from U.K.).
Constitution: Approved and promulgated November
11, 1962.
Branches: Executive--Amir (head of state); prime
minister (head of government); Council of Ministers (cabinet)
is appointed by prime minister and approved by the Amir. Legislative--unicameral
elected National Assembly (Majlis al-'Umma) of 50 members who
serve 4-year terms. Judicial--High Court of Appeal.
Administrative subdivisions: Six governorates
(muhafazat): Al 'Asimah, Hawalli, Al Ahmadi, Al Jahra', Mubarak
Al-Kebir, and Al Farwaniyah.
Political parties: None; formal political parties
are banned although de facto political blocs exist.
Elections: There are no executive branch elections;
the Amir is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime ministers
are appointed by the Amir. Legislative branch elections were last
held July 5, 2003 (next National Assembly election is due in 2007)
Suffrage: Adult males who have been citizens
for 20 years and are not in the security forces (about 14% of
all citizens).
