Jordanian King Dissolves Parliament in Anticipation of Upcoming November Elections
Formal Address by King Abdullah II of Jordan (Wikipedia)
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Less than two months ahead of Jordan’s upcoming election, King Abdullah II dissolved the Parliament via royal edict on September 27. With the election date set for November 10, this move likely hopes to pave a path for the new government. This move remains completely within the King’s rights as outlined in Article 34 of the Jordanian Constitution, which states that the King may dissolve the government, after which the government must resign within one week.
As the Constitution explains, Jordan’s government largely rests in the hands of the King, who can dissolve the government, discharge any members, and approve all laws passed by the government. Many view the government as “little more than a rubber stamp body comprised mostly of businessmen or individuals with tribal affiliations,” according to Al-Jazeera. The recently dissolved government consisted of 130 mostly pro-government legislators, hinting at the performative nature of this action.
In the wake of this decision, much attention focused on the current economic situation in Jordan. COVID-19 hit the Kingdom’s already struggling economy hard despite a 41 million dollar loan from the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) just this month and a 38 million dollar loan back in May 2020. The worsening economy exacerbated public resentment of their leaders, including allegations of government corruption. Jordan even used its state of emergency status, implemented due to the pandemic, to crack down on dissenters and protestors, after which tensions only continued to mount.
The dissolution of the government likely attempts to hold off these government criticisms and show that the King has taken action against the government, be it performative or otherwise. The upcoming elections will have no impact on Jordan’s balance of power, most of which rests with King Abdullah II. The one opposition party, the Muslim Brotherhood, faces legal barriers to activities.