The announcement of the entry of the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, into the hospital has reignited discussions around the arrangement of the ruling house in the oil-rich Gulf state. Last week, Kuwait announced that the Emir was hospitalized "due to a sudden health issue," according to the official Kuwaiti news agency (KUNA). The Minister of the Amiri Diwan stated in remarks published by KUNA that "the Emir entered the hospital due to a sudden health issue for necessary treatment and medical tests," adding that his health condition is "stable." Since then, the state has reported daily that the health condition of the 86-year-old Emir, who has been absent from the political scene for some time, "remains stable."
Recently, social media erupted with serious discussions about the future of the ruling in Kuwait and internal arrangements within the ruling house, prompting intervention from the Public Prosecution. Kuwaiti journalist Khaled Al-Tarrah commented, "The conflict and disagreement in the ruling house in Kuwait is no secret."
According to the Director of the Al-Madar Center for Political Studies, Saleh Al-Mutairi, the hospitalization of the Emir has created a fertile environment for such discussions currently "which have no real basis." Al-Mutairi considered such discussions "natural in all countries, especially in monarchical systems."
Kuwait is currently engaged in a discussion about the identity of the future crown prince, coinciding with the current crown prince assuming part of the Emir's responsibilities. However, Kuwaiti analysts downplayed this, confirming that Kuwait is accustomed to such opinions. The governance system in Kuwait is hereditary and constitutional, allowing the transfer of power within the Al-Sabah family from the lineage of Mubarak the Great. The Kuwaiti constitution stipulates that the Emir must nominate a name for the crown prince within one year of assuming power, which the parliament must accept or reject in a secret session.
In modern political history in Kuwait, the National Assembly has never rejected any name nominated for the crown prince. Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah assumed the Emirate of Kuwait in September 2020, succeeding his late brother, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The Amiri Diwan previously announced that the Emir had undergone medical tests on several occasions over the past years.
In November 2021, Kuwaiti authorities announced the issuance of a decree appointing the crown prince, Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (83 years old), to exercise some of the Emir's responsibilities (86 years old).
After the discussions about the arrangement of the ruling house in Kuwait, the Public Prosecution intervened and issued a statement on Saturday, threatening legal prosecution for anyone who speaks about the health of the Emir or the arrangement of the ruling house.
In its statement, the Public Prosecution noted, "Based on the text of Article (167) of the constitution, the Public Prosecution will take strict legal actions and will initiate criminal proceedings against any individual, group, platform, media outlet, news broadcaster, or any entity, regardless of its type, that publishes or broadcasts or discusses by any means related to the health of the Emir or the arrangement of the ruling house within the State of Kuwait."
The Public Prosecution's statement sparked further debate in the Gulf state, where its citizens pride themselves on having a high ceiling for freedom of expression, unlike their neighbors.
Member of Parliament Janan Bushahri opposed the Public Prosecution's statement, considering it "a violation of the constitution and the establishment of laws not legislated by the National Assembly." She stated in a message published on the platform "X" (formerly Twitter) that the Public Prosecution "sought to build barriers around the law of succession to the emirate preventing discussion of its details and organizational rules for the affairs of the ruling house."
Moreover, former Kuwaiti Information Minister Saad Al-Ajmi stated in a post on "X" that "the matter of arranging the ruling house in Kuwait and discussing it is not exclusive to the honorable Al-Sabah family alone." He added that "Law No. 4 of the Succession to the Emirate, which was issued on January 30, 1964, was not issued except after the approval of the National Assembly/People's Council, and discussing any law - any law concerning the arrangement of the ruling house - or criticizing, amending, or repealing it is a matter that belongs to the people represented by the National Assembly."
