Kuwait's only woman minister faced hostile questioning from an Islamist legislator today.
Newspapers said up to 20 lawmakers backed a move by Islamist legislator Saad al-Sharie to interrogate Education Minister Nouriya al-Subaih in parliament over her record - a move often used to force ministers to resign before a no-confidence vote.
Kuwait's Education Minister Nouriya al-Subaih
Reports said such a vote might be scheduled later today.
Ms Subaih has been under fire from the start of her tenure after defying Islamist calls for her to cover her hair when she was sworn in last April.
Kuwait's parliament has been locked in a row with the government for much of last year, and newspapers said the latest clash could prompt the country's ruler, Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, to dissolve the assembly.
Pressure has been mounting on Ms Subaih, a liberal, since her ministry tried to deny an incident in which three boys were sexually assaulted by Asian labourers at a primary school, newspapers said.
Mr Sharie, requesting the questioning session, said the assaults had been the result of negligence. He accused Ms Subaih of administrative irregularities and said she was behind falling educational standards.
The government, liberal politicians and women rights activists have dismissed the accusations against Ms Subaih.