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Kuwait's emir dissolves parliament, cabinet resigns

A group of Kuwaiti lawmakers are seen during a parliamentary session in Kuwait City on June 21, 2016. (Photo by AFP)

Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah has issued a decree dissolving the parliament and setting the stage for snap elections.

According to Kuwait's official KUNA news agency, the emir on Sunday ordered the dissolution of the parliament "given the circumstances in the region ... and the security challenges."

The state media also announced the resignation of the country's cabinet a few hours after government officials held an emergency meeting.

Kuwait's parliament speaker, Marzouk al-Ghanem, has called for early elections in the face of growing security and economic challenges.

Under Kuwait's constitution, early elections should take place within two months after the dissolution of the parliament.

Kuwaiti lawmakers elected in the 2013 elections largely sided with the government. The main opposition party and several Islamic political parties had boycotted the 2013 parliamentary polls.

Parliamentary elections were held after changes were made to the country's electoral law in 2012, which caused nationwide demonstrations in which the protesters said changes were to the disadvantage of the opposition.

Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah attends the closing ceremony of the 25th Arab Summit in Kuwait City on March 26, 2014. (Photo by AFP)

In recent months, Kuwaiti parliamentarians had sought to grill the government for an unpopular decision to increase fuel prices as the country has seen a drastic fall in its oil revenues as a result of falling oil prices.

A series of amendments to the electoral law is expected to bar citizens who are against the emir from contesting the upcoming elections.

Kuwait’s parliament has already overwhelmingly approved an amendment that bars any individual convicted of insulting the emir from standing in the national elections.


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