Kuwaiti Emir Swears in New Cabinet

Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah swears in Kuwait’s new cabinet on Wednesday just one day after the new government line up was announced. In addressing the new cabinet, the Emir stated “there are many responsibilities ahead of you towards the nation and challenges that we hope to overcome to move towards reform and development…As we enter a new stage with the upcoming parliamentary election, we are full of hope that the people choose their representatives away from tribalism and sectarianism.”

The new cabinet headed by Defense Minster Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak al-Sabah consists largely of ministers from the past administrations who quit this past November amid political rifts. The new cabinet will serve for several weeks until elections take place, when the government will resign as stipulated by Kuwaiti law. However, a group of young activists fed up with the constant political strife have begun to rally up opposition against the government, as the “loose coalition including academics and professionals are hoping to distance themselves from the established opposition and rally others behind them to root out corruption they say is endemic and steer the country towards full democracy.”