Jodan's King Abdullah II to give elected parliament greater say

Amman, Jordan: Jordan's King Abdullah II unveiled a new power-sharing system for selecting future Cabinet ministers, saying yesterday he will consult with parliament on the formation of government.

Jordan's king, who is a close US ally, has weathered months of street protests calling for his powers to be curtailed.

In an effort to avoid the kinds of uprisings that have toppled regimes in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, Abdullah is seeking to appease activists by giving elected representatives a greater say in politics.

Right to consult

The change, which will be enacted next year, is significant because it allows the elected 120-seat parliament to consult with the king on the make-up of future Cabinets. The current system gives the king the sole right to form a government.

Abdullah told lawmakers in an annual speech to parliament that the power-sharing deal will strengthen parliament's role in politics by "involving the elected lawmakers, who represent the aspirations of the people, in the consultative process leading to the designation of prime ministers".

Next legislature

The next legislature will also be elected under new laws, the king said. He called this part of a "comprehensive democratic transformation" and "political reform".

The king, under pressure from protesters, has also promised to allow voters the right to eventually elect a prime minister who would then form government.