The Kuwaiti cabinet approved a decree on Wednesday to dissolve parliament and hold fresh elections within two months, a government source told AFP. "The outgoing cabinet held an emergency meeting today and approved a decree dissolving parliament and calling for new elections within two months," said the source.
According to him, the election are expected to be held in mid-May.
The decree will be issued by Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah either later Wednesday or on Thursday, a source in parliament said.
The cabinet stepped down in a dispute with MPs after a call for Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad al-Ahmad al-Sabah to be grilled over allegations of mismanagement, breach of the constitution and misuse of public funds. The 50-seat parliament's dissolution would be the second in a year and the third since March 2006.
An election would also be the third in as many years, with all sparked by parliamentary disputes with the government.
On Tuesday, several MPs said they expected the emir to suspend parliament for two years because of the political wrangling.
Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah, a half brother of the emir, will become prime minister but only after the general election, a lawmaker told AFP.
© 2009 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
