1756-1762 Scheich Sabah I. bin Jaber
1762-1812 Scheich Abdullah I.
1812-1859 Scheich Jaber I.
1859-1866 Scheich Sabah II.
1866-1892 Scheich Abdullah II.
1892-1896 Scheich Mohammad I.
1896-1915 Scheich Mubarak Al-Sabah
1915-1917 Scheich Jaber II.
1917-1921 Scheich Salim Al-Mubarak
1921-1950 Scheich Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
1950-1965 Scheich Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah
1965-1977 Scheich Sabah Al-Salim Al-Sabah
1978-2005 Scheich Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah
2006-2006 Scheich Sa'ad Al-Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah

seit 29. Januar 2006 Scheich Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah

Vor seiner Amtsübernahme legt der Emir vor einer Sitzung der Nationalversammlung folgenden Eid ab:

"Ich schwöre bei Gott dem Allmächtigen, die Verfassung und die Gesetze des Staates zu achten, die Freiheiten, die Interessen und das Eigentum des Volkes zu verteidigen und die Unabhängigkeit und territoriale Integrität des Landes zu wahren".

Der Emir ist das Oberhaupt des Staates. Seine Person ist immun und unantastbar. Er übt seine Amtsgewalt durch seine Minister aus. Nach den traditionellen Konsultationen ernennt der Emir den Ministerpräsidenten und enthebt ihn seines Amtes. Ferner ernennt der Emir die Minister und enthebt sie auf Anraten des Ministerpräsidenten ihres Amtes.

Der Ministerpräsident und die Minister sind gegenüber dem Emir gemeinsam für die allgemeine Politik des Staates verantwortlich. Ferner hat jeder Minister gegenüber dem Emir Rechenschaft abzulegen über die Angelegenheiten seines Ministeriums.

Der Emir hat das Recht, Gesetze zu beantragen, zu bestätigen und zu verabschieden. Die Verabschiedung von Gesetzen erfolgt innerhalb von dreißig Tagen ab dem Datum, an dem die Nationalversammlung das Gesetz dem Emir vorgelegt hat. Wenn der Zeitraum bis zur Verabschiedung eines Gesetzes abläuft, ohne dass das Staatsoberhaupt eine nochmalige Prüfung verlangt, gilt das Gesetzentwurf als bestätigt und wird verabschiedet.

Der Emir ist der Oberbefehlshaber der Streitkräfte. Er ernennt und entlässt Offiziere in Übereinstimmung mit dem Gesetz.

Der Emir erklärt durch Erlass einen Verteidigungskrieg. Das Führen eines Angriffskrieges ist verboten

Der Emir Scheich Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah

"We Congratulate ourselves and His Highness the Amir of this collective homage"

on Sunday 29 from the zulhijja 1426 Hegira , 29th January 2006 historical session and unanimous homage for His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah – God bless and keep him, where real democracy was demonstrated, as his highness Sheikh Abdallah Al-Salem Al-Salem, may he rest in peace, stated in the Kuwaiti constitution and after forty years from democracy Kuwait proved to the whole world it’s commitment to the constitution and the laws expressed in it, and the loyalty of the Kuwaiti people to the royal family. By the applauding and love H.H was recieved - after the Parliament made voted unanimously, and the Cabinet pronouncing him new Amir, announcing by that transferring the constitutional issues to H.H. thus Kuwait enters a new age full of prosperity and advances.

His highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah delivers a speech to the people of Kuwait

H.H. the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who has freshly sworn in following recent demise of the late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, addressed the people of Kuwait on Monday praising distinctive achievements of HH Sheikh Jaber and HH Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, urging the people to work together for prosperity of the homeland and affirming his commitment to transform Kuwait into a modern state where its citizens enjoiy equality and democracy and freedom of expression. Sheikh Sabah, in his address, alluded to the people's manifestation of solid unity and wholehearted grief over the recent demise of Sheikh Jaber; "our Amir and leader and the father who placed us on the sound path .. who was known by every Kuwaiti as a man of a great heart and sharp vision and generous hands. "His demise was a heavy loss for us that caused deep grief and somber sentiments as he was the wise and merciful father who shouldered the responsibilities honestly and rendered his life full of continuous work and dedicated his thoughts and concerns for the sake of Kuwait. "He had drawn the right path for us and constituted a higher example to be followed in terms of devotion, faithful work for the homeland, tackling matters with wisdom, enduring hardships and showing perseverance in the work to realise aspirations and attain objectives may (His Almighty) God bestow mercy upon his soul." Sheikh Sabah hailed Sheikh Saad, the leader who had served as the right hand to the late Amir, Sheikh Jaber. "We had experienced him (Sheikh Saad) as a wise leader with steel will who managed to take decisions without being disturbed by events. "Though he could no longer serve in the national (leading posts) as a result of his health conditions, his great deeds would guarantee a high status for him in the record of this dear homeland, in the hearts of all who knew him, one of the most honest and generous men and one of the makers of the modern history of Kuwait." "Kuwait is the crown onto our heads ... it is the great love entrenched deep in our hearts .. This is our greatest love.. The homeland where we have lived and made glories and achievements." Sheikh Sabah urged the people to be dedicated soldiers for the protection of the homeland, adding that he and Kuwaitis were eagerly looking forward to realising "our aspirations and hopes in the making of a modern state equipped with science and knowledge and distinguished with a spirit of cooperation and compassion among its citizens where they enjoy equality in terms of rights and duties while preserving democracy and the freedom of expression with no indiscrimination between men and women as they are all equal by the law and upon their shoulder lie the responsibility of serving and developing the homeland." Sheikh Sabah added, "A leader cannot succeed in his mission without real cooperation from his people and I look forward to see that we all put our hands together to begin a new era of serious work. "We have been aspiring for years to establish an ideal homeland where order prevails and its natives work faithfully for its promotion as we have seen in other developed countries .. today I express my sentiments to you reflecting the hope that we may work together for realising this great dream. "I am sure if we show determination we will ensure prosperity for our homeland and give an example to others in terms of work and production." Sheikh Sabah praised the national press particularly its accurate coverage of the "recent critical events

Der Thronfolger Sheich Nawaf Al Ahmed Al Sabah

Der Thronfolger wird spätestens ein Jahr nach dem Amtsantritt des Emirs ernannt. Seine Ernennung erfolgt durch Erlass des Emirs, aufgrund der Nominierung des Emirs und der Billigung durch die Nationalversammlung, für die sich die Mehrheit ihrer Mitglieder in einer Sondersitzung ausgesprochen hat.

Kommt keine Ernennung nach diesem Verfahren zustande, so nominiert der Emir mindestens drei der Nachkommen des seligen Mubarak Al-Sabah, von denen die Nationalversammlung einen als Thronfolger anerkennt.

Der Thronfolger muss die Volljährigkeit erlangt haben, im vollen Besitz seiner geistigen Kräfte und ein legitimer Sohn muslimischer Eltern sein.