Fahad Al-Yousef bows before him
To date, many have failed to grasp the executive and operational role of the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah, not merely in terms of purely administrative and security measures, but as a model for “resetting the administrative and security rhythm of the state.” His approach combines firmness in matters of citizenship, security, and the rule of law with a philosophical vision that holds that protecting a society based on law and justice requires stripping institutions of chaos and enforcing sovereignty through strict procedural rigor.
We have passed through a difficult period spanning more than three decades, without exaggeration, during which the state’s prestige lost much of its foundational strength. In that period, the parliament was the most prominent point of weakness, as its components split into two camps. The most prominent of these adopted loud voices and skepticism as tools to tame that ancient institution and subsume it into a project that was never in its interest. The other camp retreated into isolation out of fear and greed, despite the legitimacy of its position and its possession of all the historical values that would enable it to perform its most crucial role. However, in light of this reality, silence and acceptance are no longer tenable.
This was the role of Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef when matters became ambiguous, demonstrated through field implementation. Its most visible manifestation appeared in campaigns to review and cleanse identity and citizenship files, dismantle cases of forgery and dual status, and redefine the “boundaries of the political community.” Citizenship was thereby restricted to those with legal rights, subsequently protecting the concept of the social contract from extinction or falsification. This is particularly important because citizenship is not merely a material privilege, but a strict legal and ethical bond based on truth and the structural conditions of the contract.
Political and administrative firmness is not aimed at repression, as some claim, including those who lost many privileges entrenched by that state of chaos. Rather, its goal is to preserve the state’s overall structure from fragmentation and to affirm the rule of law over everyone without exception. This was embodied in the firm stance against labor violations, the organization of residency files, the enforcement of strict traffic laws, and the curbing of transgressions that had accumulated over years. It also involved re-establishing the rule of law, activating strict legislation, dismantling drug-smuggling networks, and arresting major criminals, as well as establishing frameworks for new deterrent laws. This approach represents a philosophy of “preventive deterrence” to protect the internal fabric of society from disintegration. In this specific aspect, it serves as a tool for rebuilding the “prestige of the institution.” Given the results of this effort, it is imperative to acknowledge Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef at the forefront.
Nasser Al-Abduli
