By B Izzak

KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Friday dissolved the newly-elected National Assembly and suspended articles in the constitution that call for fresh polls for up to four years, saying he took the “difficult decision” to save the country and stop continued crises that derailed development.

HH the Amir also ordered the formation of a committee to amend the constitution, which has never been amended since it was issued in 1962.

The new National Assembly was just elected on April 4, in which an overwhelming opposition majority was voted back by the Kuwaiti voters.

HH the Amir’s decisions mean that there will be no fresh parliamentary elections as required by the constitution after dissolving parliament because those articles in the constitution have been suspended for four years.

This is the third time that the country’s constitution has been suspended, following a five-year suspension in 1976 and a six-year suspension in 1986.

HH Sheikh Mishal said he took the difficult decision to “save the country and safeguard its high national interests”, adding that some members of the National Assembly have far exceeded their powers to an extent “that we can not remain silent”.

Kuwait was the first Gulf state to issue a constitution in 1962 and embrace parliamentary democracy, where elected MPs can question members of the government and vote them out of office.

But in the past two decades, the democratic experience was marred by continued disputes between the government and the National Assembly.

Since 2006, the Assembly has been dissolved or annulled by the court at least 10 times and as many elections were held. In the past four years, four parliamentary polls were held and dozens of governments resigned due to the political turmoil.

HH the Amir Sheikh Mishaal said that as a result of instability, corruption spread to all corners including the security and economic fields.

He also accused MPs of misusing democracy and the National Assembly, adding he will not allow democracy to be used to destroy the state.