King designates Mulki to form new government

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday accepted the resignation of the government of Prime Minister Hani Mulki, and designated the premier to form a new government, while the incumbent Cabinet will stay in office as a caretaker until the new team takes oath of office.

In the Letter of Designation, His Majesty praised the performance of Mulki and his colleagues and urged the new government to be formed to “continue fulfilling the national responsibilities outlined in the previous Letter of Designation, carrying on with the same spirit and approach you have been demonstrating”. 

“Moving forward, the government should focus on a set of priorities addressed in this letter,” the King said (see official translation of letter). 

Commenting on the recently concluded legislative elections, the King said the outcome of the polls is a qualitative step forward on the political reform path we have adopted. 

“It is, therefore, essential to cement a working relationship between the government and the legislature based on cooperation, positive attitude and harmonious synergy, while avoiding attempts towards domination, hindrance and unconstructiveness.”

He added that elections for municipal and local councils, set to take place next year, constitute another major and crucial step in Jordan’s political reform path, and urged the new Cabinet to provide all possible support for the Independent Election Commission to administer the local government elections. 

Listing national priorities, the Monarch said boosting economy tops these priorities, urging economic reform programmes and efforts to develop the economy, stressing that it is important that such efforts are based on the Jordan Vision 2025 and further build on it, as the blueprint  “provides a general integrated framework for socio-economic policies. It is equally important to continue executing recommendations agreed upon with the Economic Policies Council”.

The King also underlined that a fair, just and capable judiciary is a cornerstone for realising our national goals, and therefore,  government cooperation with the judiciary must continue.

In this context, His Majesty emphasised that it is important to continue bolstering the rule of the law and protecting the values of justice, equality, equal opportunity and fighting nepotism and favouritism. The government must continue reforming the public sector, complete the e-government project, and pursue energy diversification schemes, as well as other mega projects in the water and transportation sectors. 

On education, he stressed that attempts to hinder developing and modernising education or to obstruct efforts to better equip future generations and enhance the quality of the educational system and its components, will not be tolerated. 

In regards to unemployment, the King said, it is important to advance human resources by ensuring integration between the recommendations of the National Human Resources Committee and the National Employment Strategy, as the latter depends on the former. 

Comprehensive reforms, His Majesty noted, require establishing and promoting an integrated matrix of human rights that balance national rights and duties according to laws, policies and best practices, as well as create advanced partnerships with relevant stakeholders, including civil society organisations. 

“In this regard, the Comprehensive National Plan on Human Rights must be implemented through the executive programmes and timeframes detailed in it. These will contribute decisively towards consolidating human rights in our dear country.”

The letter also highlighted the burdens of the refugee influx, stressing that efforts must be mobilised to ensure the level of support needed for Jordan, in order to mitigate the implications of the Syrian refugee crisis on the economic, developmental and security levels, in addition to providing the necessary support for our local communities and vital sectors.

Meanwhile, he pinpointed that Jordan shoulders the responsibility of “standing firmly against the terrorist outlaws, the khawarij, in defence of Islam, our societies and our generations’ right to lead peaceful lives not threatened by hate, sectarianism, violence and destructive ideologies,” noting that this can only be achieved through a holistic approach that leads to uprooting terrorism on the military, security and ideological fronts. 

In his resignation letter, Mulki said that he and his ministerial team worked during the government’s short life on implementing the Royal directives according to the book and shouldered their national responsibility devotedly.

“Given that the parliamentary elections were accomplished, I submit the resignation of the government before Your Majesty opening the way for a new government,” Mulki said in the letter, stressing his and his colleagues’ appreciation for His Majesty’s trust and support.

There is no clear provision in the Constitution that stipulates the resignation of the government after the elections, while if the House was dissolved, the Cabinet automatically leaves office.