This entrenched practice fueled the political stalemate, as next-generation succession candidates used populist strategies to gain parliamentary support for their bids for the emirate.
These tactics frequently involved the selective prosecution of rivals on corruption charges, granting pardons for supporters, and sweeping personnel changes across government levels to forge alliances within both the ruling family and the parliament.
[5][7][2][4] This crisis had significantly impacted Kuwait’s political landscape, resulting in the appointment of four different prime ministers, the dissolution of parliament three times, the annulment of one parliamentary session, and the formation of ten different cabinets over three years.
[9] Subsequently, on June 1, 2024, Emir Mishal appointed Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah as Crown Prince, definitively ending the political gridlock and feuding within the ruling family.
[5][6] Article 4 of the Kuwaiti Constitution mandates that the nomination of a crown prince by the emir must receive approval from over 50% of the parliament, a requirement that has brought internal disputes into the public and parliamentary sphere, moving beyond mere palace intrigue.
In November of that year, MP Adel Al-Saraawi charged Sheikh Ahmad in the Kuwaiti parliament with creating an unauthorized, shadow government within Kuwait.
[10] By March 2011, MPs Marzouq Al-Ghanim and Adel Al-Saraawi proposed an inquiry into Sheikh Ahmad, at that time the deputy prime minister, concerning alleged mismanagement of government contracts.
[11][12] In August 2011, allies of Ahmad Al-Fahad unearthed documents implicating as many as one-third of the members of parliament in what swiftly emerged as the most significant political corruption scandal in Kuwait's history.
By October of the same year, allegations had surfaced against 16 MPs, accusing them of accepting payments totaling $350 million in exchange for their backing of government policies.
This accusation prompted the resignation of the Foreign Minister, Dr. Mohammed Al-Sabah, the last representative of the Al-Salem branch within the Sabah family, as a form of protest.
[16] In December 2013, supporters of Ahmad Al-Fahad asserted they had tapes allegedly showing Nasser Al-Mohammed and former Parliament Speaker Jassem Al-Kharafi planning to overthrow the Kuwaiti government.
[17][18][19] In response to these allegations, the Kuwaiti public prosecutor initiated an investigation in April 2014, enforcing a comprehensive media blackout to prevent any discussion or reporting on the matter.
[22] Simultaneously, Athbi Al-Fahad, Ahmad's brother and former head of state security, along with associates known as the "Fintas Group," embarked on a campaign of misinformation.
They produced and circulated a low-quality video falsely showing the head of the constitutional court accepting a bribe, suggesting this influenced the public prosecutor's decision to halt the investigation.
[32] Sheikh Jaber Al Mubarak resigned as Prime Minister, but upon reappointment by the emir, he declined the position, stating his desire to first clear his name in court.
In August 2016, as part of economic reforms aimed at countering falling oil revenues, parliament approved a bill that increased heavily subsidised gasoline prices, some of the lowest globally, by 40-80%.
Mohammed Al-Mutair escalated the situation by using a megaphone to shout, “This request shouldn’t pass!” while Saleh Al-Shallahi attempted to take a polling paper from the secretary-general.
On 29 March 2022, MPs Muhannad Al-Sayer, Muhalhal Al-Mudhaf, and Hassan Jawhar submitted a request to interpolate Prime Minister Sabah Al-Khalid.
The participating MPs demanded the restoration of political life in Kuwait, which they argued had been disrupted during Sabah Al-Khalid’s tenure as prime minister.