Kuwait ruler dissolves parliament

Kuwait’s emir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, has issued a decree dissolving the country’s parliament, the National Assembly, according to state news agency KUNA.

The KUNA report said the ruling was made due to “mounting security challenges as well as volatile regional developments”.

No further details were given.

The decree was not unexpected after MP Khalaf Dumaitheer said last week he believed the parliament would be dissolved within days.

Local reports also cited sources as saying the parliament would be dissolved on Sunday.

Read: Kuwait’s National Assembly to be dissolved ‘within days’

Relations between the parliament and ministers have been frayed in recent months following a government decision to raise petrol prices.

A deal between the two parties granting Kuwaiti citizens a fixed amount of free fuel each month failed to appease some MPs, who continued to file requests to grill ministers.

Read: Kuwaitis to receive free fuel to compensate for price increase

Fresh elections to nominate a new parliament must be held within 60 days of the decree.

Opposition groups, including the Islamic Constitutional Movement, are expected to field candidates for the new election after ending their boycott of the controversial one-vote electoral system, according to reports.