Kuwait: Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah issued a decree on Sunday dissolving parliament, state television reported.
Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah had been widely expected to take the step. It is the sixth dissolution of parliament since early 2006; parliament was last dissolved in June by the constitutional court over a technicality.
The assembly which the court reinstated has been unable to meet because of a boycott by MPs.
Kuwait, a regional U.S. ally, has a relatively open political system by Gulf standards and has avoided an uprising like those that have ousted leaders in four Arab states since early last year.
But tensions have grown between its elected parliament and hand-picked government. The emir, who has the final say in state affairs, picks the prime minister, who in turn selects a cabinet.
“The emir issued a decree to dissolve parliament,” state news agency KUNA said, citing Information Minister Sheikh Mohammad al-Mubarak al-Sabah, who handles cabinet affairs.
The last parliamentary elections were in February and opposition Islamist and tribal candidates performed strongly. They formed an opposition bloc that put pressure on the government, which is dominated by the Al-Sabah ruling family.
The opposition pushed two government ministers from their posts during that legislature.
Political upheaval has held up investment projects and economic reforms in the wealthy OPEC member state.
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