ALBAWABA - King Abdullah II of Jordan named Dr. Jaafar Hassan as Prime Minister on Sunday after Bisher Al-Khasawneh's administration resigned after the legislative elections. The Royal Court announced the appointment and ordered Khasawneh to oversee a caretaker administration until the new cabinet is established.
Jordan's routine is for the government to resign after every four-year parliamentary election so the King may choose a new leader.
Jaafar Hassan, 56, is a political veteran with a Ph.D. in Political Science and International Economics from Geneva University and master's degrees from Harvard and Boston. He is King's office director and former Minister of Planning. He was Jordan's Deputy Ambassador in Washington and worked in the Foreign Ministry.
Hassan must now confront Jordan's economic issues, which have been aggravated by regional crises like the Gaza War, high unemployment, and slow development. To reduce the national debt, which surpasses $50 billion, he would prioritize IMF-recommended economic reforms.
Four years ago, Bisher Al-Khasawneh became Prime Minister and implemented measures to revive Jordan's economy, which had been hampered by poor development and external pressures from the epidemic and surrounding wars. To stabilize the nation, Hassan's government must accelerate these measures.
Last week's parliamentary elections saw the Islamic Action Front, the Muslim Brotherhood's political branch, win 31 seats out of 138, its highest triumph in decades. Jordanian anti-Israel sentiment has grown due to the Gaza conflict, where pro-Palestinian rallies have garnered popular support.
The new parliament has a pro-government majority, but Islamist-led opposition may undermine IMF-driven reforms and foreign policy.
Jordan's constitution gives the King the right to nominate the government and dismiss parliament, but parliament may overthrow it with a vote of no confidence.
