Jordan king calls for parliamentary elections

King Abdullah II of Jordan yesterday issued a decree to hold parliamentary elections in the country, the Royal Court announced.

“The Board of Commissioners of the Independent Election Commission (IEC) on Wednesday announced that parliamentary elections will be held on November 10th later this year,” Petra news agency reported.

The royal decree means the dissolution of the parliament, which was elected on 20 September 2016, and the imminent departure of the government.

The polls will be held at a time when Jordan is grappling with the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic and tension over an Israeli plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.

It also coincides with King Abdullah’s crackdown on civil liberties, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed said, pointing out to the teachers union leaders who were arrested last week over threats of strike action.

READ: Jordan judiciary demands shut down of teachers’ union