Jordan’s King Gains New Power To Appoint, Dismiss Top Officials

Jordan’s King Abdullah II will now have the power to appoint and dismiss the kingdom’s top officials, after the Parliament on Monday passed an amendment to Jordan’s constitution. The amendment to Article 40 of the constitution allows the king to appoint or dismiss the country’s chief justice, head of the Sharia Judicial Council, Grand Mufti, Chief of the Royal Court, Minister of the court and the advisors to the monarch. The seven lawmakers who voted against the amendment were mostly from a political bloc associated with the Muslim Brotherhood.

The king already is able under the constitution to name the prime minister, the heads of the military and the head of the intelligence agency, as well as to appoint the entire upper house of the parliament and dissolve parliament.

The amendment is part of a series of constitutional amendments being considered by the parliament, ranging from reform of the electoral system to gender equality. Many of the amendments were developed by the political modernization committee appointed last summer by the king. The Article 40 amendment was put forward by the parliament, however, The New Arab reported.