Kuwaiti ministers in the opposition hand in their resignations. Because of the slender majority in the parliament, disagreements with the opposition are a concern for the government, and the emir could call for new elections.

Kuwait City (AsiaNews/Agencies) An unspecified number of ministers are leaving their government posts.  It is the culmination of the latest political crisis in the wealthy Arab emirate, precipitated by a lack of cooperation between the majority and the opposition.

The resignations, already presented to the prime minister, will be submitted to the prince as well, sheikh Nawaf al-Al-ahmad al-Sabah.  According to the constitution of Kuwait, the emir could accept the resignations and form a new government, or dissolve parliament and call a snap election.

The ministers decided to resign following disagreement over a law for salary increases that the dominant opposition maintained was inadequate.  Political turmoil in Kuwait is perpetuated by the government's lack of a majority in parliament.  The current prime minister, sheikh Nasser Mohammad al-Ahmad al-Sabah, was elected in 2006 after the crises under his predecessor saw the resignation of three governments.

Two years after the last vote, the script seems to have remained the same, and many are pressuring the emir to dissolve the parliament and announce early elections. Ahmad al-Mulaifi, a liberal minister, has said the government must resign.  He is calling for reform of the al-Sabah family, and says that the premier, who is the nephew of the emir, has failed to carry forward the reforms necessary to resolve the crisis.

Meanwhile, sectarian tensions are also rising in the country, after minority Shiite activists organised a demonstration to commemorate the slain Hezbollah militant leader Imad Mughnieh, who was killed last month.

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