Kuwait’s new emir Sheikh Nawaf names 80-year-old half-brother as crown prince

Kuwait’s new emir, Sheikh Nawaf, on Wednesday named his half-brother Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Jaber Al-Sabah, a long-serving top security official, as crown prince. Sheikh Meshal, 80, has been deputy chief of the Kuwait National Guard since 2004, largely staying out of the political scene and away from disputes within the royal family. Although Sheikh Nawaf had a full year to choose a successor, he picked Sheikh Meshal in record-breaking eight days, ending frenzied speculation that has gripped Kuwaiti social media. The Sabah ruling family “blessed” 83-year-old Sheikh Nawaf’s decision, the official Kuwait News Agency said on Wednesday, a day ahead of a parliamentary session to approve the choice. Before Sheikh Meshal can be officially named crown prince, lawmakers must approve the choice during their final session on Thursday, ahead of the formation of a new government – a rare vote for the region’s Arab monarchies in which the question of succession is typically decided behind palace doors. Following the session, Kuwait’s parliament will dissolve itself ahead of elections tentatively set for late November. “The new crown prince [if confirmed by parliament] is more of a running mate for Sheikh Nawaf rather than an investment in Kuwait’s future,” said Andreas Krieg of King’s College London on Twitter. In recent years, the ruling family has been flaunting its differences, with lurid accusations of corruption and political conspiracies lodged by some of its members against others. Kuwait, unlike other Gulf states, has a lively political life with an elected parliament that enjoys wide legislative powers and can vote ministers out of office. Political rows often burst into the open. Sheikh Nawaf was sworn in on September 30 after the death of his half-brother, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who died at the age of 91 after two months in hospital in the US. The succession comes at a time when the oil-rich country is grappling with the hot topics of whether to establish ties with Israel and how to respond to a slump in oil prices amid the coronavirus crisis. Sheikh Meshal, who was close to the late ruler and accompanied him to the US where he received treatment, is the seventh son of the 10th emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Ahmad al-Jaber Al-Sabah. He is considered the most powerful man in the National Guard – an elite corps in charge of defending the emirate’s territory. The succession comes as the oil-rich country grapples with the hot topics of whether to establish ties with Israel and how to respond to a slump in oil prices amid the coronavirus crisis. Bader al-Saif, an assistant professor of history at Kuwait University, described the British-educated elder as a rare senior member of the royal family and political old guard who remains untainted by the country’s corruption scandals. “He’s an insider and an outsider at the same time,” said al-Saif, noting that the country’s National Guard remains a respected institution above the political fray. “The unchecked corruption requires introducing a name that is fresh, and has no associations.” His selection delays any generational change in Kuwait, reinforcing the contrast with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, now in effect led by powerful young princes. Under the late Sheikh Sabah, who commanded great respect as a seasoned diplomat in a region divided along political and sectarian lines, Kuwait managed to pursue independent foreign policies despite the pressures of more belligerent regional heavyweights. The position of chief is symbolically held by Salem al-Ali Al-Sabah, the eldest member of the Sabah ruling family. Kuwait’s leader Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah dies at 91 “Meshal is seen as part of the security apparatus” and does not have good relations with Islamists and the Muslim Brotherhood, said Cinzia Bianco, a research fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. “Certainly closer to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates than to Iran as other candidates.” Kuwait has long balanced relations with regional arch-rivals Riyadh and Tehran. It has also played a mediatory role in a diplomatic divide between Qatar and its Gulf neighbours, after Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain cut ties with Doha in 2017 over accusations it supports extremists. Sheikh Meshal spent many years in the interior ministry, where he rose through the ranks to head the department of general investigation from 1967 until 1980 and was credited for strengthening its function as a state security service. In 2016, he travelled abroad and underwent a “successful operation”, but details of the treatment were not disclosed.