By B Izzak

KUWAIT: HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Tuesday began customary consultations ahead of naming a prime minister to form a new Cabinet to replace the previous government, which resigned a month ago. HH Sheikh Mishal met National Assembly Speaker Ahmad Al-Saadoun and former speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem to listen to their opinions over the issue. He is expected to meet on Wednesday with three former prime ministers as part of the consultations.

The move is an indication that the appointment of a prime minister is imminent and could take place this week. HH the Crown Prince can name the outgoing Prime Minister HH Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf Al-Sabah or ask a new figure to form the new Cabinet. The government resigned a month ago in protest against the insistence of MPs to debate costly populist draft legislation, especially a draft law calling on the government to purchase billions of dinars in bank loans owed by Kuwaiti citizens.

KUWAIT: HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah receives former speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem on Feb 21, 2023, as part of traditional discussions usually held ahead of forming the new government.

The government demanded that the draft laws be sent back to Assembly committees to rediscuss them and hear the government’s views, but MPs voted to debate them immediately. MPs have criticized the delay in naming a prime minister to form a new Cabinet after the resigned Cabinet has not attended Assembly sessions since Jan 10. On Tuesday, Saadoun adjourned the regular Assembly sessions for Tuesday and Wednesday over a lack of quorum and the government’s failure to attend amid protests by several MPs over obstructing the work of the parliament.

Meanwhile, five MPs on Tuesday submitted a draft law calling to grant female employees maternity leave amounting to two years and four months. The draft law calls to grant pregnant employees four months of maternity leave for birth and another two years for taking care of the baby.