The Kuwaiti cabinet has tendered its resignation to Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al Sabah in the wake of snap legislative elections, which saw opposition groups and their allies winning nearly half of the seats in the 50-member legislature.
Prime Minister Jaber al-Mubarak al-Hamad Al Sabah submitted the government’s resignation during a ceremony at Bayan Palace in Kuwait City on Monday. Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber Al Sabah was also in attendance, Kuwait’s official news agency Kuna reported.
“As the elections were transparently and impartially held and all the results were officially announced, I hand in the government’s resignation in accordance with Article 57 of the Constitution,” part of the letter of resignation read.
The Persian Gulf country’s monarch will now either reappoint the outgoing premier, or pick a senior member of the ruling family and task him with formation of a cabinet.
The new cabinet must convene before parliament holds its first session within the next two weeks.
According to official results announced by the Kuwaiti election authority on Sunday, opposition blocs and their partners could claim 24 parliamentary seats.
A third of the new parliament is made up of new young lawmakers, and Shia legislators hold six seats in the house. The only elected female hopeful was Safa Al Hashem, who contested fifteen other women for election.
The polls reportedly witnessed 70 percent of eligible voters to have cast their ballots.
On October 16, the Kuwaiti emir announced the dissolution of parliament and early elections on November 26n in the face of “circumstances in the region and security challenges.”
The move came hours after parliament speaker Marzouk al-Ghanem called for snap polls.
Political analysts have linked Kuwait’s election results to the political wrangling between the government and parliament over austerity measures, which include cuts in many of the perks that citizens have enjoyed for decades and a sharp increase in petrol prices.
A majority of those elected to the new legislature have clearly expressed their opposition to any austerity measures by the government.
Kuwait, where oil income accounts for 95 percent of government revenues, is going through its worst budget crisis in years. Officials forecast a deficit of $31 billion for the 2016-17 fiscal year.
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