By B Izzak

KUWAIT: Addressing a press conference at the National Assembly Marzouq Al-Ghanem appealed to HH the Amir and HH the Crown Prince to intervene to stop the stagnant political and economic conditions in Kuwait. Ghanem’s remarks came after reports the prime minister has not made any contacts with the National Assembly which was revived by the constitutional court in a landmark ruling on March 19.

The court annulled the September 29, 2022 parliamentary elections and scrapped the National Assembly which was dominated by the opposition, reinstating the previous Assembly which was dissolved by HH the Amir in August 2022. Ghanem said he had tried to meet HH the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to convey to HH the Amir the state of affairs in the country.

Deputy Speaker Ahmad Al-Shuhoumi and MP Obaid Al-Wasmi, taking part in the press conference, also strongly lashed out at the current situation in the country. Local media and MPs have said that Kuwait’s Chief Justice Mohammad Bin Naji, Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council and President of the Constitutional Court, which issued the ruling that annulled the elections, was planning to quit his post.

Wasmi said on Twitter that he was not certain if the planned resignation of Bin Naji came under pressure from the government. Shuhoumi on Wednesday called on Bin Naji not to resign, because his resignation may send wrong signals about the legality of the ruling. Shuhoumi also called on Bin Naji to resist pressures on him, adding that if the chief justice resigns, that will give the pretext that his ruling was not correct. On Wednesday, the Supreme Judicial Council said any resignation by Bin Naji will be rejected.

Following an emergency meeting, the Council emphasized the independence of the judiciary and condemned what it described as the government’s interference in the judiciary. In a related development, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and former MP Mohammad Al-Sager on Wednesday said the crisis in Kuwait has reached an extremely dangerous level, the worst since the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. – AFP