GOVERNMENT
Kuwait
is a constitutional, hereditary emirate ruled by princes (Amirs)
who have been drawn from the Al Sabah family for over 200 years.
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, from which the Assembly must choose the new Crown Prince.
Successions have been orderly since independence.
For almost
40 years, the Amir has appointed the Crown Prince as Kuwait’s
Prime Minister. However, in an unprecedented development, the
Amir formally separated the two positions and appointed a new
Prime Minister in July 2003.
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. On May 4, 1999, the Amir once again dissolved the National Assembly. This time, however, it was done through entirely constitutional means, and new elections were held on July 3, 1999. The most recent general election, held in June 2006, was considered free and fair and was marked by the participation of women for the first time as voters and candidates who introduced social and educational issues to the political debate.
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 May 2005, the National Assembly approved legislation granting women full political rights. Subsequently the Prime Minister appointed Kuwait’s first female minister, Dr. Masouma Al-Mubarak, as Planning Minister and Minister of State for Administrative Development Affairs, and the government appointed two women to Kuwait’s Municipal Council. Following the May 2006 constitutional dissolution of parliament and subsequent elections, Dr. Masouma remained the only woman in the cabinet, reappointed as Minister of Communications.
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).
