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September 30, 2020 10:56:24 am
Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah arrives to attend the 20th Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (AIPU) conference Photographer: Yasser Al-Zayyat / AFP / Getty Images
Kuwait’s new leader, 83-year-old Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, will take over the reins of one of the world’s richest countries as he faces a financial crisis exacerbated by internal political disputes.
Sheikh Nawaf succeeds his half brother, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who died Tuesday at the age of 91. Sheikh Nawaf, crown prince since 2006, had served as acting head of state since July, when the emir was flown to the United States for medical treatment.
The new leader comes to power at a time when Kuwait faces the largest budget deficit in its history, triggered by falling oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic. A possible solution to its growing liquidity crisis has been blocked by parliamentary opposition to a law that would allow the government to borrow, as other Gulf nations have done in response to the dual crisis.
While Kuwait’s foreign and oil policy is unlikely to change, its domestic political landscape could be redrawn under the new leadership, particularly if Sheikh Nawaf makes a bid for national reconciliation. Such an initiative could help unblock Kuwait’s stagnant politics and restore some balance between the different branches of the ruling family.
Kuwait is the only Gulf country where citizens have a genuine voice in how they are governed, but the resulting political paralysis means that it has been left behind by less democratic neighbors like the United Arab Emirates. The emir appoints the prime minister and political parties are banned, so there is no coherent opposition. Elected parliament is often full of populist independents clashing with governments they accuse of being too soft on corruption.
Opposition meetings
Sheikh Nawaf parted ways with his predecessor by meeting with two of Kuwait’s veteran opposition politicians, Ahmed Khateeb and Ahmed Al-Saadoun, amid calls to allow the self-exiled opposition leaders to return. The new leader also recently received proposals for political and economic reforms from two opposition politicians. The meetings were held ahead of this year’s crucial parliamentary elections.
The opposition has boycotted parliamentary elections since December 2012, when the electoral law was amended by order of the former emir. The boycott followed one of the largest opposition rallies in the nation’s history, as critics called for the government to share more power with elected politicians.
The opposition claimed at the time that the changes to the voting rules were aimed at reducing their chances of winning and making it easier for candidates to buy votes. The government said the amendments were intended to ensure stability and boost democracy.
According to the constitution, the crown prince rises to power after the death of an emir. That would leave Sheikh Nawaf with the duty of appointing a new crown prince, who has a year to do. The new emir needs the backing of parliament for his candidate for crown prince. In theory, the parliament could reject the election of the emir, forcing him to present three new candidates for the chamber to vote.
Sheikh Nawaf, born in Kuwait on June 25, 1937, is the sixth son of the tenth ruler of Kuwait, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. He was first appointed to the cabinet in 1978 as Minister of the Interior and subsequently held the defense and social affairs portfolios. Sheikh Nawaf has also served as deputy chief of the national guard. He was educated in Kuwait and is married with four sons and one daughter.
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