Kuwait’s government said on Thursday that an Emiri decree was issued accepting the resignation of Defense Minister Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al-Ali Al Sabah and Minister of Interior Sheikh Ahmad Mansour Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.
The state news agency KUNA quoted the government’s spokesperson as saying that another Emiri decree was issued appointing Minister of State and Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Mohammad Al Sabah as acting Defense Minister, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Oil and Minister of Water and Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohammad Al-Faris as acting Minister of Interior.
The two officials had submitted their resignations on Wednesday in protest against “the manner of parliamentary debriefing” of ministers.
During the past weeks, the ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs were subjected to a grilling session, which was followed by a vote of confidence at the National Assembly.
Opposition deputies had intensified their interrogations of members of the government. While the foreign minister survived a no confidence vote on Wednesday, Sheikh Hamad and Sheikh Ahmad said the lengthy grilling was an “abuse” of power.
Parliamentary questioning, which can extend over two weeks, usually paralyzes political and parliamentary work in Kuwait, at a time when the government is seeking to pass several legislations pertaining to the economic situation and public finances reform.
