By B Izzak
KUWAIT: HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah met on Monday former National Assembly speakers Marzouq Al-Ghanem and Ahmad Al-Saadoun as part of consultations ahead of naming the next prime minister. HH the Crown Prince will also meet current and former prime ministers to complete the consultations before asking current Prime Minister HH Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf Al-Sabah to form the new government or name a new premier. Under Kuwaiti law, the Cabinet should resign immediately after the announcement of the results of parliamentary polls.
The new government must be ready before the new Assembly is scheduled to hold its inaugural session on June 20. Ghanem told reporters late Sunday that he will convey to HH the Crown Prince during the meeting a proposal he announced during his election campaign about a new procedure before naming the prime minister. At the campaign held on June 4, Ghanem said that all those who desire to lead the government from the ruling family must be interviewed and the selection should be based on the result of the interview.
After embracing parliamentary democracy in 1962, members of the Al-Sabah ruling family have been appointed to head governments. Speaking to reporters after a reception he held to thank his supporters after his election to the Assembly, Ghanem said the strong mandate he received at the ballots was a powerful response against his critics. He said the next prime minister should read the outcome of the elections carefully, not only in respect to who won and who lost, but also the number of votes MPs received and who received more votes, so as to form a government that meets the aspirations of the people.
Asked if he plans to run for Assembly speaker, Ghanem said he is prepared to serve the Kuwaiti people as a speaker or as a member of parliament. Ghanem served as a speaker between 2013 and 2022, when the Assembly was dissolved. He said that he did not attend the informal meeting held by new MPs on Sunday because he was not invited, adding that he will not attend any meeting unless he is properly invited. Ghanem said he will announce a clear program, adding that he is optimistic about the future and will exert all efforts to help achieve stability for the people, who are frustrated from disputes.
Meanwhile, MP Osama Al-Shaheen said the 47 MPs who held an informal meeting on Sunday agreed that the top priority for the new Assembly is to amend the law that governs the constitutional court. He said the aim of the amendment is to "safeguard the will of the nation”, a reference to the election of the Assembly, after the constitutional court annulled the Assembly on three occasions since 2012. He said those verdicts had created political chaos in the country and there is consensus that the law should be amended.