Kuwaiti's new Cabinet was sworn in Wednesday, state-run media reported, weeks after the government quit amid a deepening deadlock with parliament that has blocked badly needed reforms in the tiny oil-rich Gulf Arab state.
Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al Hamad Al Sabah swapped out four ministers whose selections had angered various lawmakers for less contentious, veteran politicians, an apparent gesture to appease parliament.
The worsening rift between Kuwait's emir-appointed government and elected parliament presents the first significant challenge to Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah, who ascended the throne last fall. The infighting has diminished public confidence, caused instability and hastened the country's worst debt crisis since the 1990 Iraqi invasion. As Kuwait's general reserve fund runs out of cash, lawmakers skeptical of deep-rooted corruption have prevented the government from borrowing as other Gulf states have done in response to the coronavirus pandemic and low crude prices.
Kuwait stands out among the hereditary sheikhdoms of the Persian Gulf for its rambunctious parliament and robust political debate.
