Kuwait's ailing Emir abdicates

Kuwait’s ailing emir, Sheik Saad Al Abdullah Al Sabah, has abdicated following an agreement within the ruling family, a politician said tonight.

The abdication paves the way for the prime minister and longtime de facto ruler, Sheik Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah, to become the country’s new emir, and ends an unprecedented public quarrel inside the ruling family.

“An agreement has been reached in the family and he will sign the abdication papers tomorrow,” parliamentarian Nasser al-Saneh told The Associated Press.

He said the two struggling camps of the family met tonight in order to reach a compromise before a parliament session tomorrow that was to debate Cabinet demands that the ailing new emir be ousted in favour of the Sheik Sabah.

A swearing-in ceremony for Sheik Saad had been planned for tomorrow evening.

It was not yet known when Sheik Sabah would take the oath as emir.

Sheik Sabah, the prime minister, has been running the day-to-day affairs of the country since the late emir, Sheik Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah, and his successor and the then-crown prince, Sheik Saad, both fell ill.

Both Sheik Saad and Sheik Sabah are in their mid-70s – their exact ages are not known – but Sheik Sabah is the more fit of the two. He had a heart pacemaker implanted but otherwise is said to be in good health

The leadership crisis began coming to a head last Friday when scores of ruling family members visited Sheik Sabah at his residence and asked him to take charge of the country.

He accepted the draft, which was widely seen as approval of his becoming emir.

The push for Sheik Sabah’s ascension, however, was snarled when some members of Sheik Saad’s branch of the ruling family objected.

Key among them was Sheik Salem Al Ali Al Sabah, chief of the national guard and the oldest member of the family.

His status of family elder added particular weight to his objection.