Kuwait Suspends National Parliament Because of “Qatari Muslim Brotherhood Influence”

In his televised speech on Friday, the Emir said that he had made the move “to save the country”: “Unfortunately, we have faced some unimaginable, unbearable difficulties and impediments… We were left with no option other than taking this hard decision to rescue the country and protect its higher national interests and the resources of the nation,” Sheikh Mishal said. In a firm tone, he vowed: “I will not let democracy be exploited to destroy the state.”

Quickly, some media reports suggested that the Kuwaiti leadership “is worried about Qatar’s Muslim Brotherhood influence in parliament and parts of the state administration”.

Police surround the Parliament in Kuwait after the Emir announces its disbanding & suspending parts of the Constitution for 4y.

Reportedly due to fear of infiltration from the Qatari Muslim Brotherhood

“I won’t allow democracy (…) to destroy the state” pic.twitter.com/WzAf0JH8Aa

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) May 10, 2024

The Telegraph: The Gulf state of Kuwait has been cast into political uncertainty after its ruler suspended the national parliament, saying that corruption had permeated every institution.

Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Mishal Al Ahmed Al Sabah, said he would suspend the parliament for up to four years, declaring that he had made the move “to save the country”.

“Unfortunately, we have faced some unimaginable, unbearable difficulties and impediments,” the 83-year-old said on Friday, according to the state news agency, a reference to the gridlock that has held back Kuwait’s development.

“We were left with no option other than taking this hard decision to rescue the country and protect its higher national interests and resources of the nation,” Sheikh Mishal added.

“I will not allow that democracy will be exploited to destroy the state.”

Kuwait, one of the few semi-democratic countries in the Middle East, had held elections to its national parliament in April…..

Supporters of the Emir lauded the decision as a triumph against Islamist forces, with some users pointing out that while there is “happiness in Kuwait, there is sadness in Iran,” while others regarded the Emir as a “hero” who “supported his homeland and the Gulf and eliminated the conspiracy of the Hassan Al-Banna [founder of the Muslim Brotherhood] and Khomeini [supreme leader of Iran] with a final blow, and you will hear their screams in the coming hours. Countries need leaders who have courageous decisions, and with this decision, Kuwait, God willing, has become safe.”

Another supporter reported that the stock market in Kuwait showed a 2% growth during the first minutes of trade following the Emir’s decision to dissolve the parliament, analyzing that this shows that “people’s expectations are now higher than the Kuwaiti government’s ability to deliver, as the Council [Parliament] was seen as a source of aggravation and disruption.” (Jerusalem Post)