Jordan Parliament approves new government

Bisher Al Khasawneh’s government was expected to win the vote from the mostly loyalist legislature

A handout picture released by the Jordanian Royal Palace on October 12, 2020, shows Bisher al-Khasawneh being sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Jordan, in the capital Amman. AFP

The government of Prime Minister Bisher Al Khasawneh received a vote of confidence from Jordan’s nominal Parliament on Wednesday.

King Abdullah holds most powers in the country and Parliament has confirmed all 15 governments he has appointed since becoming monarch 22 years ago.

He appointed Mr Al Khasawneh, a former diplomat, as prime minister in October to lead the country amid a surge of coronavirus deaths and infections.

Jordan is a constitutional monarchy, with the prime minister as head of government.

Mr Khasawneh, whose government received 88 votes of the 127 deputies present on Wednesday, held parliamentary elections in November, despite the surge.

Turnout was a record low at less than 30 per cent and the authorities reimposed a curfew a day after the poll.

On Wednesday, Mr Al Khasawneh announced a relaxation of the curfew, allowing people to go out on Friday. He also said the government aims to reopen schools gradually in the autumn semester.

Relaxation the curfew was in response to instructions by the king this week to ease coronavirus controls.

Most of Jordan’s official 4,076 deaths from the coronavirus and 310,000 infections have been recorded since October.

Officials say the rate of increase in infections has stabilised in the past few weeks.

A vaccination programme started on Wednesday, with the authorities aiming to vaccinate two million people out of Jordan’s 10 million population.