King Abdullah Expected to Appoint Jafar Hassan as New Prime Minister, Sources Say

Jordan’s King Abdullah is expected to choose Jafar Hassan as the new prime minister after the government quit, following big wins by the Islamist opposition.

Jordan is about to see a big change in its government. After the current government resigned on Sunday, King Abdullah is expected to pick Jafar Hassan, a trusted aide, as the new prime minister. This comes after a recent election where the Islamist opposition made important gains.

Jafar Hassan is well-educated and respected. He went to Harvard University and has worked closely with King Abdullah. He was also a former planning minister. If appointed, he will replace Bisher Khasawneh, who has been prime minister for almost four years. Khasawneh worked hard on reforms, but now the King is ready for a new leader.

Hassan will face some big challenges. The war in Gaza has hurt Jordan’s economy. Fewer tourists are coming, and investments have slowed down. Tourism is very important for Jordan, so this is a serious issue.

The outgoing prime minister, Khasawneh, tried to improve Jordan’s economy. For over 10 years, the country has had slow growth, with the economy growing at only 2% a year. The pandemic and wars in nearby Iraq and Syria made things even worse. King Abdullah has been pushing for reforms to help the country recover.

For a long time, some conservative leaders in Jordan have resisted change. They were worried that new, more liberal policies might weaken their power. But King Abdullah has been trying to modernize the country.

One of the main tasks for Jafar Hassan will be to continue reforms recommended by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Jordan has more than $50 billion in public debt, and unemployment is high. The country gets a lot of help from Western nations, but they expect Jordan to make some changes in return.

In the recent election, the Islamist opposition, led by the Muslim Brotherhood, did very well. They won 31 seats in parliament, the most they’ve had since 1989. This success is partly due to the ongoing war in Gaza. 

Many people in Jordan are upset about what’s happening, and the Islamists have led some of the biggest protests in the region. Their support for Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, has made them more popular.

Even though the government still has a majority in the 138-member parliament, the stronger Islamist opposition could make things harder. They might challenge some of the government’s economic plans, especially those backed by the IMF.

Still, in Jordan, most power lies with King Abdullah. He is the one who appoints the government, and he can dissolve parliament if necessary. The months ahead will be very important for Jordan’s future as Jafar Hassan steps into his new role and tackles the country’s challenges.