Kuwait’s Emir reappointed Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak on Wednesday and asked him to form a cabinet, two days after the government stepped down.
This would be the 35th government in Kuwait since 1962, and the 7th for Mubarak, whose cabinets have witnessed relative stability compared to governments headed by his predecessor former prime minister Nasser Mohammed.
The Emir of Kuwait issued a royal decree to appoint Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak as prime minister and assigned him to nominate members of the new government.
The cabinet had resigned ahead of a planned vote of no-confidence in parliament against Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Acting Information Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah.
The minister faces accusations of negligence in tackling the problem of unemployment, and of employing non-Kuwaitis in important posts despite having qualified Kuwaiti nationals. He is also accused of disregarding strict monitoring on spending in some state institutions, which has allegedly led to the loss of millions of dollars.
The minister has denied the charges and noted that the unemployment rate has remarkably dropped to 3.3 percent thanks to the government’s efforts.
Sheikh Jaber, 74, has been prime minister since 2011. His political career began as a minister in successive governments since 1986.
This will be the seventh cabinet to be formed by him in six years.
