Kuwait emir names Sheikh Meshal as new crown prince

Kuwait emir named Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as crown prince.

Two members of Kuwait's ruling Al Sabah family on Wednesday had pledged support for Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah for the position of crown prince ahead of an expected announcement by the country's new emir on his choice for the role.

Sheikh Meshal, the deputy chief of the National Guard, is seen by diplomats and Kuwait experts as the top contender for the role to help to guide state affairs in the US-allied OPEC member state.

"We pledge allegiance to Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad," tweeted Faisal al-Hamoud al-Sabah, the governor of the country's Farwaniya Governorate.

Another family member, Khaled al-Sabah, tweeted "we pledge allegiance to both of you" above pictures of Sheikh Meshal and Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah, who assumed power last week.

Senior members of the Al Sabah dynasty had convened earlier on Wednesday to discuss the position of crown prince, a Kuwaiti source said.

The Gulf Arab state's parliament, whose term ends on Thursday, must approve the emir's choice of crown prince.