New Kuwaiti Premier Is Named

Kuwait’s emir appointed his brother as prime minister Sunday, removing the premiership from the crown prince and boosting hopes for reform in this close U.S. ally and fledgling democracy.

The appointment of Sheik Sabah al Ahmed al Jabbar al Sabah was announced on state-owned Kuwait Television. The emir, Sheik Jabbar al Ahmed al Sabah, ordered the new prime minister to form a cabinet to replace the one that resigned after July 5 parliamentary elections.

Sheik Sabah, 74, was foreign minister and deputy prime minister but has been running Kuwait since the crown prince, who is the emir’s cousin, fell ill.

The crown prince, Sheik Saad al Abdullah al Sabah, developed colon problems in 1997. He has spent long periods in England and the United States for treatment, leaving many of his leadership duties to Sheik Sabah.

“This is a good step toward political and economic reform,” said independent economist Amer al-Tamimi. “I hope the new cabinet will have a development program for restructuring the economy and broadening the electoral base.”

The parliament represents just 15% of Kuwaitis; women, police and the military are banned from voting or running in elections. The voting age is 21. Kuwait has no political parties, and many people vote according to tribal allegiances or political affiliations.

Al-Tamimi said he hoped that Sheik Sabah would press to privatize the country’s single-sourced oil economy, the welfare privileges of which -- including state jobs and highly subsidized, or free, utilities -- are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain.

Since Kuwait gained independence from Britain in 1961, the emir has always appointed the crown prince as prime minister, even though the 1962 constitution but does not say the job must go to him or even a member of the ruling family.

Sheik Saad, 73, had held both roles since 1978. But recent election rallies heard strong calls for separating the posts, saying the change would make the prime minister more accountable to Kuwaitis.

The elections further tightened the grip held by fundamentalist Muslims and supporters of the cabinet, led by the ruling family, over the legislature.

Under Kuwait’s constitution, the emir has to approve the cabinet, which must be in place Saturday when the new parliament holds its inaugural meeting.

Abdul-Ridha Asiri, a Kuwait University political scientist, said Sunday’s “precedent” indicated that the al Sabahs were “tuned in to the aspirations and pressures of the people.” He said the move also opens the door to the future appointment of a prime minister from outside the ruling family.