Opposition bids to oust PMKUWAIT CITY: Kuwait has plunged into fresh political turmoil after opposition MPs unleashed a serious bid to unseat the oil-rich Gulf state's premier, a senior member of the ruling family. The emirate has been rocked by almost non-stop disputes since 2006 when Sheikh Nasser Mohammad al-Ahmad al-Sabah was appointed prime minister. “This crisis is a part of the old and still ongoing conflict between a party that does not accept democracy in Kuwait and the pro-democracy camp,” said political analyst Anwar al-Rasheed. “But what makes it unique and dangerous is the fact that this time the government has a majority in parliament and thus can pass any legislation even if it contradicts the constitution. “The conflict is raging around government attempts to neutralise the constitution by withdrawing key legislative and supervisory powers enjoyed by MPs,” said Rasheed. The crisis was sparked by a police crackdown on a December 8 public gathering held by the opposition to protest an alleged government-backed plot to amend the 1962 constitution with the aim of suppressing public freedoms. – Agence France
