DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Kuwait's ruler has accepted the resignation of the government, but has asked the Cabinet to remain in a caretaker role.
The decision by the emir, Sheik Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah, to keep the Cabinet in office is likely to anger opposition groups that have pressed for the dismissal of his prime minister amid a growing crisis over corruption accusations.
The report Monday on the state-run Kuwait News Agency did not give a timetable for how long the caretaker Cabinet could remain before possible elections in the oil-rich nation.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Kuwait faced a fresh bout of political uncertainty on Monday after opposition lawmakers said the government has submitted its resignation to the Gulf nation's ruler amid a growing crisis over corruption accusations.
However, there was no official word on such a move, which could lead to parliament being dissolved and new elections — if it's accepted by Kuwait's emir.
One opposition lawmaker, Khaled al-Sultan, told reporters that the Cabinet tendered the resignations just hours before a major protest rally was set to begin Monday.
The oil-rich nation has been locked in an increasingly bitter dispute between the government and opposition groups demanding the prime minister's resignation. Protesters stormed parliament earlier in November to decry claims that officials transferred state funds to bank accounts abroad.
The unrest comes against the backdrop of widespread and sometimes violent protests that have roiled the Arab world this year.
Yet there is little sign the tumult could seriously challenge Kuwait's political system — a constitutional monarchy whose parliament has the most powers of any elected body in the Gulf.
Kuwait's political uncertainty is nonetheless a cause for concern among its Western allies. The OPEC member nation could host thousands more American forces under a Pentagon-drafted plan to boost troop strength in the Gulf after the U.S. withdraws from Iraq.
Although the battles in recent weeks have been over the corruption allegations, Kuwait's prime minister, Sheik Nasser Al Mohammad Al Sabah, has long been a lightning rod for the opposition. Sheik Nasser — a nephew of the emir — has survived three no-confidence motions in parliament, most recently in June, and was scheduled to appear before the chamber on Tuesday for more questioning about government affairs.
Kuwait's opposition — ranging from Islamists to liberals — have accused authorities of trying to limit political openness and using heavy-handed measures such as raids and arrests to silence dissenting voices.
But the Cabinet resignation may not even cool the political battles. There is widespread speculation that the emir, Sheik Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah, could reappoint Sheik Nasser as prime minister after new elections, which must be held within 60 days.
The latest political crisis has its roots in a corruption scandal that emerged over the summer. Allegations were made that the prime minister was connected to bribes paid to pro-government parliament members, who were then accused of transferring the money to foreign accounts. The country's long-serving foreign minister stepped down last month after claims that the transfers were routed through his ministry.
Despite the turmoil, there have been no calls for a removal of the ruling Al Sabah family. Instead, generous subsidies and a cradle-to-grave welfare system have helped the government resist calls for reforms until recently.
But a stalled out economy — despite 12 consecutive years of multibillion dollar budget surpluses — has left many frustrated as Kuwait has been overshadowed by fast-growing Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in the past 20 years.
Opposition groups accuse old guard political leaders of failing to keep pace with Gulf neighbors. The result is a power struggle over the entire way in which the country is governed and who has the right to appoint a Cabinet, which is dominated by members of the ruling family.
"It's becoming difficult, almost impossible, to reach a compromise that will put our country back on the right track to achieving its aspirations," wrote columnist Sherida al-Moasherji in the daily Al Jarida.
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