Government & politics — Kuwait
Government structure, legal system, citizenship, and international relations.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Government & politics at a glance
Government structure, legal system, citizenship, and international relations. Key figure for Kuwait: State of Kuwait
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Identity & names
- Full Country Name
State of Kuwait
- Country Name
Kuwait
- Local - Long
Dawlat al Kuwayt
- Local - Short
Al Kuwayt
- Etymology- history of name
the name derives from the capital city, which is from Arabic "al-Kuwayt" a diminutive of "kut" meaning "fortress," possibly a reference to a small castle built on the current location of Kuwait City by the Beni Khaled tribe in the 17th century
- Independence
19 June 1961 (from the UK)
- National Holiday
National Day, 25 February (1950)
Political system
- Government Type
constitutional monarchy (emirate)
- Constitution
- history: approved and promulgated 11 November 1962; suspended 1976 to 1981 (4 articles); 1986 to 1991;
- May to July 1999 amendments: proposed by the amir or supported by at least one third of the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds consent of the Assembly membership and promulgation by the amir; constitutional articles on the initiation, approval, and promulgation of general legislation cannot be amended
- Legal System:
mixed legal system consisting of English common law, French civil law, and Islamic sharia law
- Executive Branch:
- chief of state: Amir Sheikh MISHAL al-Ahmad al-Sabah (since 16 December 2023); he succeeded his brother, Amir Sheikh NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sab
- ah following his death on 16 December 2023 head of government: Prime Minister Sheikh MOHAMMAD Sabah Al Salim Al Sabah (since 4 January 2024); First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh TALAL al-Khalid Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah (since 16 October 2022); Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Khalid al-FADIL (since 9 April 2022); Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
- Oil Bader Hamed Yusef Al-Mula (since 16 October 2022) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,
- approved by the amir elections/appointments: amir chosen from within the ruling family, confirmed by the National Assembly; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the amir; crown prince appointed by the amir and approved by the National Assembly
- Legislative Branch:
Description
unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (65 seats; 50 members directly elected from 5 multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 15 ex-officio members (cabinet ministers) appointed by the amir; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections
snap election last held on 6 June 2023 (next to be held on 4 April 2024)
Election Results
- 50 non-partisan candidates, including 29 oppositionists
- composition of elected members - 49 men, 1 woman, percent of women 2%
- Judicial Branch:
- highest court(s): Constitutional Court (consists of 5 judges); Supreme Court or Court of Cassation (organized into several circuits,
- each with 5 judges) judge selection and term of office: all Kuwaiti judges appointed by the Amir upon recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council, a consultative body comprised of Kuwait
- i judges and Ministry of Justice officials subordinate courts: High Court of Appeal; Court of First Instance; Summary Court
- Regions or States:
6 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al 'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak al Kabir
- Political Parties and Leaders:
- none
- the government does not recognize any political parties or allow their formation, although no formal law bans political parties
- Suffrage:
21 years of age and at least 20-year citizenship
- Citizenship Criteria:
- no citizenship by descent only: at least one p
- no residency requirement for naturalization: not specified
Capital & time
- Capital Name
Kuwait City
- Capital - geographic coordinate
29 22 N, 47 58 E
- Capital Time Difference
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC,during Standard Time)
International role
- International Organization Participation:
ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, CD, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, Paris Club (associate), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
- International Law Organization Participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
- Diplomatic Representation from US:
chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires James HOLTSNIDER (since July 2021) embassy: P.O. Box 77, Safat 13001 mailing address: 6200 Kuwait Place, Washington DC 20521-6200
telephone
[00] (965) 2259-1001
FAX
[00] (965) 2538-0282
Email address and website
- KuwaitACS@state.gov
- https://kw.usembassy.gov/
- Diplomatic Representation in the US:
chief of mission
Alzain Sabah Naser Saud ALSABAH (since 19 April 2023)
chancery
2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 (po)
telephone
[1] (202) 966-0702
FAX
[1] (202) 966-8468
Email address and website
- consulate@kuwaitembassy.us
- https://www.kuwaitembassy.us/
consulate(s) general
Beverly Hills (CA), New York