Jordan’s prime minister steps down after days of tax-increase protests
AMMAN, Jordan — Jordan’s King Abdullah II on Monday accepted the resignation of his embattled prime minister, hoping to quell anti-government protests that are seen as a potential challenge to his two-decade-old rule.
Jordan is a staunch military and political ally of the West in a turbulent region, and any threat to the kingdom’s stability is viewed with concern, particularly by neighboring Israel and by the U.S.
Prime Minister Hani Mulki’s resignation came after several days of mass protests against a planned tax increase, the latest in a series of economic changes sought by the International Monetary Fund to get the rising public debt under control. The government has also raised prices for bread, electricity and fuel.
Many Jordanians feel they are being squeezed financially by a government they perceive as corrupt and aloof, and they say they are not getting services for the taxes they are asked to pay.
Government-linked media said Education Minister Omar Razzaz, a Harvard-educated man who carries a reputation as a reformer, has been tapped as Mulki’s successor, though the choice was not officially confirmed by Monday evening.
Mulki is to serve as caretaker until his replacement has been named, the state news agency Petra said.
Jordan’s king is the ultimate decision-maker on policy, but he also positions himself as a unifying force above the political fray. He has frequently reshuffled or disbanded governments as a way of quieting criticism.
Protest organizer Ali Abous said a one-day strike set for Wednesday will still take place despite the Cabinet changes.
“We want to change the path, not the individuals,” said Abous, who leads an umbrella group of 15 unions and professional associations with half a million members.
Hatem Jarrar, a lawyer, said the resignation of Mulki is a “victory for the Jordanian people who demanded to topple the government,” adding that protesters will keep pressing demands for rescinding the tax bill.
The recent protests were largely spontaneous, drawing many young people and members of the middle class, rather than being organized by traditional opposition groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood.
In a show of nonviolence, protesters raised their hands in the air as they were being pushed away from the prime minister’s office by helmeted riot police.
Protest organizers have urged the king to put a stop to the tax-increase plan, saying it disproportionately targets the poor and the middle class. The king has indicated he’s willing to make concessions, saying that Jordan’s citizens cannot be expected to bear the entire burden of the economic overhaul.
The kingdom has experienced an economic downturn in part because of prolonged conflict in neighboring Syria and Iraq, as well as a large influx of refugees several years ago. The official unemployment rate has risen above 18 percent, and it’s believed to be double that among young Jordanians.
Abdullah became king in 1999, taking over from his late father, Hussein, and has weathered a series of political crises. During the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, he promised political changes but instead tightened his rule after the outbreak of violent conflicts in the region, including in Syria.
Israel has maintained discreet security ties with Jordan.
Yoav Gallant, a member of Israel’s security Cabinet and a retired general, told foreign journalists at a news conference Monday that it’s in Israel’s interest “that stability will go back to Jordan as soon as possible.”
Information for this article was contributed by Mohammed Daraghmeh of The Associated Press.