Jordan’s PM Resigns Amidst Protest

Following the planned increase in tax and austerity measures, which has culminated in widespread protest, the embattled prime minister of Jordan Hani Mulki has submitted his resignation to King Abdullah II.

The reported anti-government protest has been the largest in the history of Jordan in recent time.

The protesters, which were in thousands in the last few days, had filled all the streets demanding Mulki’s resignation.

Mulki, who had been in office for two years, had presided over an unpopular government that was trying to implement economic reforms demanded by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to control rising public debt.

Jordan’s economy has suffered a downturn in recent years and unemployment has risen, largely as a result of conflicts in neighbouring Syria and Iraq.

Two government-linked websites, Hala Akhbar and Al-Rai, reported on Monday that Mulki had offered his resignation. There was no immediate official announcement, though the resignation had been widely anticipated.

Jordan’s monarch, King Abdullah II, is the ultimate decision-maker on policy, but also positions himself as a unifying force above the political fray. Over the years, he has frequently reshuffled or disbanded governments as a way of defusing public anger.

It was not immediately clear if Mulki’s reported departure would halt the protests.

Related Articles