- Title: Jordan's king swears in govt led by Mulki for second term
- Date: 28th September 2016
- Summary: AMMAN, JORDAN (SEPTEMBER 28, 2016) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF THE RAGHADAN ROYAL PALACE ENTRANCE OF THE PALACE JORDANIAN FLAGS JORDANIAN PRIME MINISTER, HANI MULKI, EXITING HIS CAR AND ENTERING THE PALACE KING ABDULLAH II'S CONVOY ARRIVING AT THE PALACE JORDAN'S KING ABDULLAH II EXITING CAR AND ENTERING THE PALACE
- Embargoed: 13th October 2016 19:10
- Keywords: government swear-in King Abdullah Jordan Mulki
- Location: AMMAN, JORDAN
- City: AMMAN, JORDAN
- Country: Jordan
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00151HEP8N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Jordan's King Abdullah on Wednesday has sworn in a new government headed by Hani Mulki as prime minister for a second term and with foreign, finance and economic ministerial posts kept unchanged, state media and officials said.
Mulki, 64, who has held a string of senior diplomatic and ministerial posts, was first appointed last May to oversee the parliamentary elections that were held last week.
The prime minister said the government will work closely with the newly elected parliament.
"This government will work in coordination and direct communication with the parliament to serve the country and its citizens. There will be economic, social and political agendas, which will be discussed with parliament so that this country will be strong and protected under its Hashemite leadership," said Mulki after the ceremony on Wednesday (September 28).
Mulki was reappointed last Sunday (September 25) and tasked with reviving a sluggish economy and business sentiment hit by regional turmoil by overseeing a new International Monetary Fund-guided programme that started this year.
In Jordan's constitutional monarchy most powers rest with the king, who appoints governments, approves legislation and can dissolve parliament.
The key finance, foreign and finance ministerial posts would remain unchanged and the 29-member cabinet would as before be dominated by a mix of technocrats, conservative politicians and tribal loyalists.
Mulki will face a more assertive parliament when it convenes for the first time next month after Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood gained a foothold in last week's election.
The Islamist movement ended a decade-long boycott of mainstream politics and returns as the mainstay of a broad civic alliance.
Although the alliance is not large enough to block legislation or cabinet appointments, it should nevertheless allow for livelier debates in the assembly that could undermine public support for government policies.
Parliament has been so passive in recent years that successive governments have been able to enact draconian temporary laws restricting public freedoms. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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