By B Izzak

KUWAIT: The new government discussed at its first meeting Monday night the constitutional court’s ruling to annul the Sept 29, 2022 elections and scrap the entire poll process, saying it fully respects all verdicts issued by Kuwait courts. In a statement following the meeting chaired by HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf Al-Sabah, the Cabinet said it will implement all court rulings in accordance with the constitution and Kuwaiti law.

The new government was sworn in on Monday by HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who urged the government to push for reforms and called for applying the law equally on all. The constitutional court on March 19 annulled the September elections, scrapping the 2022 National Assembly which was dominated by the opposition.

It also reinstated the previous National Assembly, elected in 2020, which was dissolved by HH the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in August last year over disputes with the government. The court found that the Amiri decree which dissolved the previous Assembly was not in line with the constitution.

The government statement did not say whether it will cooperate with the revived Assembly or recommend to HH the Amir to dissolve it again and call for fresh polls. Speaker of the reinstated Assembly Marzouq Al-Ghanem has called for fresh polls, but only after allowing the Assembly to pass a series of laws to ensure free and fair elections, including the establishment of a higher election commission.