Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has appointed Sheikh Mohammed Al-Salem Al-Sabah as the new Prime Minister of the wealthy Gulf state, a decision that local newspapers reported has received "popular support." Sheikh Mohammed Al-Sabah was well-known in Kuwaiti politics before stepping back for over a decade following his resignation in 2011 from his public roles as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs due to his disagreement with the government’s handling of a corruption case involving several parliament members, according to local media at that time.
At 68 years old, Sheikh Mohammed is the fourth son of Kuwait's twelfth Emir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, who ruled from 1965 until his death in 1977. His mother is Sheikha Nouria Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber, a sister of the current Emir, which means he combines the branches of Al-Jaber and Al-Salem from the lineage of Mubarak Al-Kabir, the seventh ruler of Kuwait from 1896 to 1915.
Sheikh Mohammed received his higher education in the United States, earning a bachelor's degree in economics from Claremont College in California and a PhD in the same field from Harvard University. The new Prime Minister has held various public positions, including a professor in the economics department at Kuwait University. In 1993, he became the Ambassador to the United States, serving for a decade, and was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2003 and then Deputy Prime Minister in 2006, holding both positions in successive governments until his resignation in 2011 amidst a political crisis. His departure from the political scene at that time was viewed as a protest against the government's failure to implement effective reforms concerning corruption allegations.
Professor Badr Al-Seif noted that Sheikh Mohammed Al-Sabah "enjoys wide popularity prior to his appointment due to his record and integrity, and his popularity is expected to increase in the coming months in line with the rising popularity of all new prime ministers at the beginning of their terms."
On Thursday, the official news agency (KUNA) reported that an "Emiri decree has been issued to appoint Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah as Prime Minister, assigning him to nominate the members of the new cabinet." This comes about two weeks after Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah (83 years old) took power following the death of his half-brother, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, at the age of 86.
Kuwait holds 7% of the world's crude oil reserves and boasts minimal debt, while managing one of the strongest sovereign wealth funds globally. However, it suffers from ongoing confrontations between elected legislators and government ministers appointed by the Emir, leading to persistent political crises in recent years, characterized by repeated government resignations and parliamentary dissolutions that have hindered development. Professor Al-Seif expressed on the platform X (formerly Twitter) that "the appointment of Mohammed Sabah Al-Salem to the premiership signifies the features of a new era, being one of the Emir’s first decisions." He added that "this news has pleased Kuwaitis, given his status... The task is arduous, and hopes are pinned on a better Kuwait."
