Jordan king swears in new government

AMMAN, JORDAN: Jordan's King Abdullah II on Wednesday approved a new 27-member cabinet after protests, Ammon News reported.

The prime minister and ministers were sworn in before King Abdullah II and in the presence of royal family members in a ceremony at the Royal Court.

The new cabinet led by ex-premier Marouf Bakhit replaces the government of former prime minister Samir Rifai, which the monarch sacked last week after a series of protests inspired by the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.

Bakhit added media personalities to the cabinet, like Taher Adwan, editor-in-chief of Alarab Alyawm independent newspaper, and prominent columnist Tareq Masarweh. Adwan was appointed minister of state for media affairs and Masarweh was picked as minister of culture.

The new government will have the task of "taking practical, swift, and tangible steps to launch a real political reform process, in line with the King's vision of comprehensive reform, modernization and development," said the Jordanian king last week.

Over the past several weeks, thousands of protesters have called on Samir Rifai and his government to resign. The previous goverment was blamed for price hikes, excessive taxation, unemployment, and difficult economic conditions.

(BNO NEWS )