The democratic “exceptionalism” which the emirate of Kuwait boasted after 1962 did not survive the 2000’s. Well before the “Arab Spring“, protest movements had taken shape there, demanding more democracy, less corruption and better-functioning institutions. Between 2011 and 2013, the new social media culture gave such demands a new impetus as a youth movement mostly hailing from the tribal periphery was joined by the traditional urban middle class.In the face of this innovative and determined opposition, the Gulf Cooperation Council, driven by Saudi Arabia, also stated its resolve, as it strengthened the institutional security framework by implementing more draconian measures throughout the common area. Does the Al Ṣabāḥ dynasty have the means to put the national interest first and push for more democratic institutions? The fact of the matter is that it is undermined by internal divisions. Although the Emir of Kuwait did actually sign the GCC Security Treaty it has never been ratified by Parliament. In 2014, the Al Ṣabāḥ dynasty faces the daunting task of putting an end to its internal rivalries and of finding a new equilibrium to govern the country.