Kuwait's emir has appointed outgoing Defence Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah as prime minister, state TV and the national news agency said on Wednesday.

The move follows the resignation of the Kuwaiti government after protesters and opposition deputies stormed parliament to demand that Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah step down over corruption allegations.

"An emiri decree was issued appointing Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Sabah as prime minister," the report said.

Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah has asked the new premier to form the cabinet which will be the eighth since February 2006 when the former premier was appointed to the post.

Sheikh Jaber, 69, has been in the cabinet since 2001 and was also the first deputy premier in the outgoing cabinet.