Kuwait's National Assembly (parliament) renewed confidence in Interior Minister Lt. Gen. Sheikh Jaber Khalid Al-Sabah (ret.) on Wednesday. The vote, which followed a debate for and against the withdrawal of confidence, showed 30 MPs were against the withdrawal of confidence, 16 were for it, and two abstained, according to a report circulated today by Kuwait News Agency (KUNA). Following the vote, National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Kharafi congratulated the Interior Minister on the parliament's renewal of confidence, and thanked all those who took part in the debate today. Ten MPs had signed a request for a no-confidence vote on June 23, following the discussion of an interpellation motion filed against the Minister by MP Musallam Al-Barrak. According to article 144 of the National Assembly statute, the withdrawal of confidence must take place with a majority vote, from which the ministers are excluded.
