KUWAIT: HH Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah will take the oath in the National Assembly on Wednesday to assume his powers as the new Amir of Kuwait following the demise of late Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Sheikh Mishal was declared as Kuwait’s 17th ruler by the Cabinet on Saturday, hours after announcing the passing of Sheikh Nawaf. Under the Kuwaiti constitution, the appointed Amir must take the constitutional oath to be able to assume his constitutional powers like issuing decrees.

The oath must be taken before the National Assembly during a special session to be convened by the Assembly for this purpose. National Assembly Speaker Ahmad Al-Saadoun on Monday called for a special public session to be held on Wednesday for HH Sheikh Mishal to be sworn in as Amir. Under the constitution, the new Amir has one full year to appoint a crown prince, who must be from Mubarak Al-Kabeer’s descendants of the Al-Sabah Family that has been ruling Kuwait for more 250 years.

The crown prince must be approved by a majority vote of the National Assembly. But if the Assembly rejects the appointment, HH the Amir will have to propose three names, and the Assembly will elect one of them by voting to become the country’s crown prince.

Meanwhile, the ruling family headed by HH the Amir Sheikh Mishal started receiving condolences on Monday from citizens at Bayan Palace. Condolences will also be accepted on Tuesday. Later on Monday, HH Sheikh Mishal received a number of foreign leaders and envoys at the Amiri Airport, who arrived to pay their respects.