Kuwait Sets June 6 Date for Legislative Elections

Kuwait's newly appointed crown prince Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad Al-Jaber al-Sabah waves before he is sworn in, at the parliament, in Kuwait City, Kuwait October 8, 2020. (Reuters)
Kuwait's newly appointed crown prince Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad Al-Jaber al-Sabah waves before he is sworn in, at the parliament, in Kuwait City, Kuwait October 8, 2020. (Reuters)
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Kuwait Sets June 6 Date for Legislative Elections

Kuwait's newly appointed crown prince Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad Al-Jaber al-Sabah waves before he is sworn in, at the parliament, in Kuwait City, Kuwait October 8, 2020. (Reuters)
Kuwait's newly appointed crown prince Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad Al-Jaber al-Sabah waves before he is sworn in, at the parliament, in Kuwait City, Kuwait October 8, 2020. (Reuters)

Kuwait on Wednesday set June 6 as the date for its legislative elections, state news agency Kuna reported, two days after the parliament was dissolved by royal decree.

The parliament was only reinstated in March based on a Constitutional Court ruling following a previous dissolution.

The OPEC member has seen prolonged bickering between the government and the elected parliament that has hampered fiscal reforms.

The June 6 date was agreed by the council of ministers on Wednesday and referred to Kuwait's Crown Prince, Kuna reported.

Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal al-Ahmad al-Sabah had said last month the legislature would be dissolved and new parliamentary elections would be held in the coming months.



Syria’s Leader Meets with Bahraini Diplomatic Delegation

The leader of Syria's new administration, Ahmed al-Sharaa meets Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdul Latif Al-Zayani in Damascus, Syria, January 8, 2025. (Bahrain News Agency/Handout via Reuters)
The leader of Syria's new administration, Ahmed al-Sharaa meets Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdul Latif Al-Zayani in Damascus, Syria, January 8, 2025. (Bahrain News Agency/Handout via Reuters)
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Syria’s Leader Meets with Bahraini Diplomatic Delegation

The leader of Syria's new administration, Ahmed al-Sharaa meets Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdul Latif Al-Zayani in Damascus, Syria, January 8, 2025. (Bahrain News Agency/Handout via Reuters)
The leader of Syria's new administration, Ahmed al-Sharaa meets Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdul Latif Al-Zayani in Damascus, Syria, January 8, 2025. (Bahrain News Agency/Handout via Reuters)

Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa received a delegation from Bahrain on Wednesday and met with the Bahraini foreign minister, state media reported.

The visit was the latest in a flurry of diplomatic overtures by Arab countries to Syria’s new leaders after they overthrew former President Bashar al-Assad in a lightning rebel offensive.

Like other Gulf countries, Bahrain had cut off diplomatic ties with Syria under Assad’s rule during the Syrian civil war, but it reopened its embassy in Damascus in 2018 and gradually restored ties with the Assad government.

Bahrain is the current head of the Arab summit, and days after Assad’s ouster it had sent a message to al-Sharaa offering its cooperation with the new authorities and saying, “We look forward to Syria regaining its authentic role in the Arab League.”