Official name

State of Kuwait

Form of state

Constitutional emirate

Head of state

The emir, chosen from the Al Sabah family. Currently Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jabr al-Sabah, who acceded in February 2006

Legal system

Based on the constitution of 1962, as amended or suspended by emiri decree

Legislature

Unicameral National Assembly of 50 elected members plus 15 cabinet ministers. The assembly has been dissolved five times by emiri decree, most recently in March 2009

National elections

The next election is scheduled for May 2013 (previous election May 16th 2009)

Political groupings

Political parties are not allowed, but there are various groupings: the Sunni Islamist Islamic Salafi Alliance and Islamic Constitutional Movement (Muslim Brotherhood); the Shia Islamist National Islamic Alliance and Justice and Peace Alliance; and secular groupings such as the centrist Popular Action Bloc and the liberal National Democratic Alliance. Most MPs sit as independents, and many are loyal primarily to tribal interests

Executive

Power is exercised by the emir through a Council of Ministers (cabinet) headed by a prime minister chosen by the emir. The cabinet resigned on March 31st and a new one is expected to take office in May.

Council of Ministers

Crown prince: Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmed al-Jabr al-Sabah

Prime minister: Sheikh Nasser Mohammed al-Ahmed al-Sabah

Deputy prime minister & defence minister: Sheikh Jabr al-Mubarak al-Hamad al-Sabah

Deputy prime minister & foreign minister: Sheikh Mohammed Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah

Deputy prime minister for economic affairs: Sheikh Ahmed Fahad al-Sabah

Minister of state for cabinet affairs: Roudhan al-Roudhan

Key ministers

Commerce & industry: Ahmed al-Haroon

Communications: Mohammed al-Baseeri

Education & higher education: Mudhi al-Humoud

Electricity & water: Badr al-Shuraian

Finance: Mustafa al-Shamali

Health: Helal al-Sayer

Interior: Sheikh Ahmed al-Hamoud al-Sabah

Justice, awqaf & Islamic affairs: Rashed Hammad

Oil & information: Sheikh Ahmed Abdullah al-Sabah

Public works & municipal affairs: Fadhil Safar

Social affairs & labour: Mohammed al-Afasai

National Assembly speaker

Jassem al-Khorafi

Head of emiri diwan

Sheikh Nasser Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah

Central Bank governor

Sheikh Salem Abdel-Aziz al-Sabah