KUWAIT CITY, April 9: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah signed Monday a decree postponing the first regular session of the National Assembly’s 18th legislative term to Tuesday, May 14. Meanwhile, Saleh Ashour, the oldest elected lawmaker, will invite the MPs-elect to the inaugural session of the National Assembly on April 17 as per the Constitution, which states such session should be held within two weeks after the parliamentary election. Ashour will moderate the session as he is the oldest MP-elect, after Ahmed Al-Saadoun who announced his intention to run for the speaker election.

Several MPs-elect announced that they will attend the inaugural session on April 17, shortly after the issuance of Amiri Decree no. 67/2024 on postponing it until May 14 as per Article 106 of the Constitution. Article 106 states: “The Amir may, by Decree, prorogue the National Assembly’s session for a period not exceeding one month. Prorogation shall not be repeated in the same annual session save with the Assembly’s consent and for once only. The prorogation period shall not be reckoned in the session’s term.” In a related development, MP elect Abdulkareem Al-Kandari argued that Article 106 cannot be implemented unless Article 87 is enforced given the constitutional position of the legislature. Article 87 states: “The Amir shall convene the National Assembly to its first meeting after the general election within two weeks of the date of the conclusion of the election. Should no summoning Decree be promulgated within that period, the Assembly shall be deemed convened to meet in the morning of the day following the two weeks period mentioned above.”

According to Al-Kandari, the inaugural session should be held within the specified period; in addition to the election of the speaker, deputy speaker and National Assembly Office members, and formation of parliamentary committees. MP-elect Fayez Al-Jomhour called on his colleagues to attend the opening session on April 17, pointing out that the executive authority is suffering from unprecedented confusion. He said the people of Kuwait fulfilled their commitments, while the government is busy engaging in disputes.

The MPs-elect who announced that they will attend the inaugural session on April 17 are Bader Al-Dahoum, Abdulaziz Al-Saqaabi, Muhannad Al-Sayer, Anwar Al-Fikr, Fahd Falah Bin Jame’e, Obaid Al-Wasmi, Jenan Bushehri, Bader Nashmi and others. MP-elect and former Assembly Speaker Ahmed Al-Saadoun affirmed there is no violation in Amiri Decree no. 67/ 2024, since Article 106 stipulates the right of HH the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to postpone parliamentary sessions for one month. He said this article does not specify if the postponement should be done in the beginning, middle or towards the end of the legislative term. He stressed that the decree does not contradict Article 87. It should be noted that if the inaugural session is held on April 17, the government will be absent as it is not expected to be formed by then. Therefore, this session is just a formality aimed at preserving the constitutional position of the Assembly; hence, the election of parliamentary positions and formation of committees will not take place that day.

By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff and Agencies