Kuwaiti PM survives no-confidence vote

Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad al-Ahmad al-Sabah has narrowly survived a no-confidence vote brought against him by the country’s opposition.

The motion of “non-cooperation” against the prime minister was filed on December 28 by opposition lawmakers following his violent response to a public rally.

At least 14 people, among them members of parliament, were injured after security forces attacked an opposition gathering on December 8.

The opposition accuses Sheikh Nasser, who is a member of Kuwait’s royal family, of breaching the Constitution and suppressing the nation’s freedoms.

Opposition MPs, however, failed on Wednesday to win the majority of the 50-seat parliament to pass the motion against Sheikh Nasser.

According to the Kuwaiti state news agency KUNA, 25 lawmakers voted against the motion and 22 voted in favor of the prime minister’s dismissal. One parliament member abstained and others could not vote as they hold government posts.

“In accordance with the Constitution, parliament reaffirms its confidence and cooperation with the prime minister,” Speaker Jassem al-Khorafi said after a three-hour session held behind closed doors.

If the motion had passed, the matter would have then been referred to the emir of Kuwait for a final decision on whether to dismiss the premier or to dissolve the parliament and call for new elections.

The opposition, however, has vowed to keep up their efforts to unseat the premier.

“Today is the beginning… We will continue to work to bring about the downfall of this government through the streets,” opposition MP Mussallam al-Barrak said after the vote.

“Crisis will only end when this government reaches its end. It’s not possible for MPs to deal with a government that has humiliated the Kuwaiti people,” MP Jamaan al-Harbash told reporters.

Sheikh Nasser, a nephew to the emir of the oil-rich Persian Gulf state, has been under political pressure since he became prime minister in 2006. He has been grilled eight times and has faced two votes of no-confidence.

In December 2009, he survived a vote of no-confidence after allegations that public funds had been misused.

Since 2006, the Kuwaiti emir has dissolved the parliament three times and the cabinet has resigned five times.