Issue 868, 18 December 2009

PM survives key vote after agreeing to grilling

Prime minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah in early December agreed to answer questions in parliament over the alleged misuse of funds. He is the first premier to agree to be called to account before the National Assembly – earlier attempts resulted in the resignation of the cabinet and new elections (GSN 826/1). Following an 8 December request by MP Faisal Al-Meslem for Sheikh Nasser to face questions, the premier finally agreed, perhaps in the hope it would break the refusal and dissolution of parliament cycle. Following the grilling, ten MPs filed a motion for non co-operation against Nasser. Observers feared its consequences could be catastrophic for Kuwaiti democracy – and Sheikh Nasser’s supporters thus breathed a sigh of relief when on 16 December he survived the vote.

National Assembly speaker Jassem Al-Kharafi said “the house confirms its confidence and co-operation with the prime minister.” Initial reports said that 35 MP voted in support of the PM, 13 voted against and one abstained. Parliament was due to vote on 17 December on a no-confidence motion against interior minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Sabah.

Nicknamed the ‘comeback premier’, Sheikh Nasser was under attack this time last year, when Salafi MPs demanded he submit to a formal interrogation. Nasser resigned in late November 2008 but retained the support of Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and was asked to form a new administration (GSN 845/4, 842/3). In March, Sheikh Sabah dissolved the National Assembly after MPs filed three separate grilling motions against Sheikh Nasser over major policy decisions such as the cancellation of the KDow venture, economic policy and the use of oil revenues (GSN 851/4).